Whether we live in the United States or Afghanistan, mothers in every country all around the world share certain experiences and challenges. Here’s some important challenges all mothers face. Remember: you have the most special job in the world, and even though it’s hard sometimes, the rewards are amazing.

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1. We want to give our children the opportunity to thrive

Giving birth is what makes you a mother, but loving your child and wanting the best for them is what makes you a great mother.

The issue is that in many parts of the world, opportunities are few and far between. The omniscient political issues cloud any chance of education to thrive and for these children to be able to make a better life for themselves. Instead, the lack of opportunity is a critical one that leaves an endless loop of no advancement, for neither the children nor the country as a whole. Even in the first world countries, there are plenty of mothers struggling to make ends meet for their children.

Furthermore, mothers lack opportunities no matter where they are from. In Afghanistan, women are not seen as equal to men and are not given the chance to succeed. Even in the United States, women are not on a level playing field, with women earning fewer pennies on the dollar. Opportunity is one thing that mothers want most for themselves and their children, no matter where they are from.

2. We feel overwhelmed

From the day your first child is born, you are no longer just you: you are a family. There aren’t vacation days or sick-days in this job, and the hours are 24/7.

But it’s the best job in the world. Even when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to remember that you can never get these days back: before you know it, you’ll be attending your child’s graduation, and hopefully their wedding. “Cherish every moment” is hard advice to take seriously during a tantrum, but you should certainly cherish every day.

3. We want our children to be healthy and safe

Many mothers struggle to provide basic necessities to their children, such as food, shelter, education and healthcare. These challenges affect women in a wide variety of locations, from the developing world to underserved areas of the developed world; access to healthy food is also limited in many areas, and it makes it a challenge to create the best conditions for our children to thrive.

No matter where we are in the world, every mother, and every child, deserves the right to safety, healthcare and the basic necessities.

4. We want society to give more recognition to the value of what we do

Mothers all over the world work longer hours than their husbands and are paid less. But the economic value of what we do is often ignored because it doesn’t have a dollar value on it. Raising a family is hard work for the mother and father alike, but remember: if you’re staying at home to raise your family, the lack of salary in your job doesn’t mean that what you are doing is any less important.

Mothers in various countries experience different levels of recognition for their work. Women in the workforce frequently lack opportunities, especially mothers, as we also have responsibilities related to our children. Many of us work long hours to support our families, as well as long hours in the home. We always do our best to meet the challenge of fulfilling our family’s emotional and financial needs, and for that, we should be very proud.

As the years go by, many of the issues that face mothers have evolved and changed, but the core of the experience of motherhood is the same: an incredible love, a truly beautiful and special connection to another being. This experience is shared with mothers worldwide, and mothers throughout time. We share our challenges, but we also share our hopes, dreams, and joy. Regardless of where they are from, mothers still all want the same thing; simply a life for their children that is better than their own.