Two Backpackers

All Mothers Are Not Created Equal

| by Aracely | 7 Comments » | Reflections

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Street Food Vendor And Child in Antigua Guatemala

This Mother’s Day is the first I’ve spent away from my mother during twenty-eight years my of life.  I miss her very much.  On a day like today, every mother should be praised for carrying a child in their womb, providing unrelenting nurturing and for the unconditional love most mothers provide.

During my travels I have seen many mothers struggling to feed and provide for their children.  However, one particular story, which I am about to share, reminded me that being a mother is so much more than giving birth to a life.

We were enjoying yet another delicious Argentinean steak and wine meal at an outside café in central Mendoza.  Suddenly, a young boy approached our table, whom I guessed to be 5 or 6 years old.  With a soft but confident voice he asked for some of my french fries.  I immediately handed him a handful of the fries from my plate.  He grabbed the fries, put them directly into his mouth and walked away.

A Mother and Her Son Rushing Through Town Plaza in Quito Ecuador

A few moments later we spotted him dashing past our table with half a sandwich in his hand and a gleaming smile.  Jason exclaimed, “This kid is scoring big-time.”  Following the child with our curious eyes, he walked behind a bush that acted as a boundary for the cafe’s outdoor seating area.  Behind the bush was a crowded park bench which seemed to include his mother and other siblings based on their interactions.  I couldn’t see the mother’s face since she was facing the opposite direction and was being shadowed by the shrubbery.  However, the young boy was facing in my direction when he smiled happily and handed her the sandwich.  I wasn’t sure whether someone had given it to him or if he grabbed if from an empty table.  They exchanged some words and then the boy ran back towards the outdoor tables.

As we stared towards the park bench, we noticed 2 other children, younger than the first boy, also fetching food from other outdoor restaurant tables.  Sometimes they brought food from empty tables and other times they had food that was given to them.

A Mother and Child Watching Festival Parade in Juayua El Salvador

We watched the children continue their game for 20 minutes.  Every time the boy scored some food he became excited as though he was winning at a game very familiar to him and his brothers and sisters.  On a few occasions I noticed the boy also asked for money, which he then passed to his mother.

After traveling through Central and South America, I have seen a lot of begging from both children and adults.  But this felt different.  This was different.  In this situation in Mendoza, the mother hid behind a bush and sent her 3 children to beg for her.  I have only witnessed the opposite scenario, where mothers beg while holding their children, or beg to feed their children.   I have never experienced this type of exchange before in my life.  That’s not to say it doesn’t happen, I just haven’t seen it.  One might argue that there isn’t much difference between a child doing the begging for his parents versus the parent begging with their child, but I would have to disagree.  These children we watched learned that it’s a game, a fun game, one which pleases their mother.

A Mother Cooking Empanadas For Her College Children

I began to feel ill and annoyed with the actions of the woman.  I felt sad for the children and what might become of their future.  I made futile attempts to ignore it and carry on with my meal.

More time had passed and I noticed the mother standing outside a tienda (store) window making a purchase.  My heart rate increased as I sensed the worst.  I whispered to Jason, “She better not be buying cigarettes.”  I couldn’t take my glaring eyes off her.  She slowly turned around and lit up a cigarette. “Oh my God,” escaped my lips.

A Kuna Family in a Dugout Canoe in San Blas

It was one of those moments where everything around you is wrong and you can’t do anything about it.  I felt like I needed to do something, but what?  Yell at her?  Call her a bad mother?  I was a tourist trying to figure out how to advise a local mother.  I felt and was helpless.  How could a mother do this to her child?  This behavior is sure to negatively impact this child’s future.

I tell you this story today because we are celebrating Mother’s Day for all mothers.  However, let’s not just celebrate the fact they are our mothers but the fact that they are good mothers.

Written by Aracely

Co-founder of TwoBackpackers.com. Aracely has been traveling, writing and taking photos since 2024, when she departed on his first year long travel backpacking journey. When she isn't seeking new adventures, Aracely is usually building Excel models as a financial analyst professional. Visit my website