“A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path”
— Agatha Christie
The phrase “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world” was coined by William Ross Wallace a Scottish-American poet in his poem The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, in 1865. It highlights how the bond between mother and child develops before birth, deepens intensely after birth and continues to shape the child’s future – throughout life.
The phrase summarizes the role played by mothers – as architects of the future and the world’s silent rulers. Mothers play a role in shaping the physical, emotional, biological and psychological development of children.
Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States often spoke about the influence of his mother Ann Dunham, an anthropologist who worked in Indonesia and raised him as a single mother. Even his wife Michelle Obama was raised by her mother Marian Robinson who was the driving force behind her daughter’s success.
Steve Jobs the co-founder of Apple, was actually adopted shortly after his birth. Steve was raised by Paul and Clara Jobs in California. Clara an accountant encouraged him during difficult times and played a vital role in shaping Steve’s character and values. She was a constant, loving presence in his life and encouraged him to seek perfection in everything he did.
Albert Einstein was greatly influenced by his mother, Pauline Einstein. Albert Einstein himself credited his mother’s support and encouragement behind his intellectual development and ground-breaking work as one of the most influential scientists in history
Bronislawa Curie was the inspiration behind Marie Curie, the first woman and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in Physics and Chemistry and guided Marie throughout her life and career. Without her mother’s support and encouragement Marie may have given up midway due to the many hardships she faced and may not have achieved many things in her life.
Even Marie Curie herself was a devoted mother and single-handedly raised two daughters Irène and Ève after her husband Pierre’s tragic death in 1906. Her efforts paid off. Irène became the second woman to win a Nobel Prize (after Marie) when she got the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1935 for her work in artificial radioactivity, while Ève chose to become a journalist and wrote the biography of her mother, which was later made into a film.
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner at the age of 17 gives credit to her mother Tor Pekai Yousafzai who helped her overcome the trauma after the brutal but failed Taliban assassination attempt in 2012. Tor Pekai was the constant source of strength, wisdom, and support who helped Malala Yousafzai become a powerful voice for the voiceless, and fight for equality, justice, and, most notably, education for all.
Rosa Parks – the “mother of the civil rights movement,” was influenced by her mother Leona McCauley, who taught her the value of justice and equality. This made Rosa fight for racial equality.
These are just a few examples of mothers who worked behind the scenes as unsung architects and influenced the lives of some of the most influential figures in history.
Early childhood experiences have an impact on the personality development of children. The infants, toddlers and new born babies in the cradle today — are the political leaders, scientists, philosophers, and change-makers of tomorrow. This is why maternal influence is said to be driving force or catalysts behind shaping the future.
One inspiring example of a single parent in India is Jamnaben Ambani. Dhirubhai, was just 16 when his father, Hirachand Ambani a schoolteacher, passed away in 1950. Hirachand Ambani, was the primary breadwinner hence the family had to face significant financial difficulties. Dhirubhai’s mother, Jamnaben asked her eldest son, Dhirubhai to support the family. Dhirubhai moved Junagadh district, in Gujarat to Mumbai (then Bombay) in search of better work opportunities. He worked as a gas station attendant and later in the textile business before laying the foundations of Reliance Industries which eventually became one of India’s largest conglomerates. Although she was not directly involved in business, Jamnaben played a crucial part in Dhirubhai’s success. Jamnaben’s simple and humble nature was a source of inspiration for Dhirubhai throughout his life.
The point to be noted is that any hand – male or female – that rocks the cradle rules the world. Not just single mothers, even single fathers can have profound impact on their children’s success.
Shah Rukh Khan was 15 and his only sister Shahnaz Lalarukh was 14 years old when their mother, Lateef Fatima, passed away in 1991. They were primarily raised by their father, Meer Taj Muhammad Khan, who had migrated to India from Peshawar (now in Pakistan). He was a respected figure in their community, and played an important role in shaping Shah Rukh’s character.
Rajinikanth the youngest of four siblings was raised by his father, Ramoji Rao Gaekwad, who worked as a police constable in Bangalore after his mother Jijabai’s death, when he was about eight years old.
P.V. Sindhu was raised by her father, P.V. Ramana, a former volleyball player who won a bronze medal at the 1986 Asian Games and received the Arjuna Award in 2000. Both he and her coach Pullela Gopichand helped her become an Olympic silver medallist in Badminton in Rio 2016.
Also Read: Garbh Sanskar – making the unborn child learn a trick or two !!
These are some examples of sacrifice made by single fathers in India to raise their children and shape them into successful individuals.
Foetal programming and maternal influence after birth of a child
The prenatal setting in which the child develops after conception has a lasting effects on a child’s health, behaviour, and cognitive abilities even after birth. Recent scientific studies have shown that a mother’s well-being, nutrition, stress levels, and even emotional state during pregnancy has an impact on the child’s neurological development and future health.
This has led to a concept called “foetal programming,” which postulates that a child’s lifelong health trajectory is determined in the earliest stages of life, long before birth.” As Gilbert Parker – a novelist and politician once said, “when a child is born, so is a mother”.
One of the greatest examples from Indian mythology where a person’s life after birth was affected by what he learned or didn’t before birth is Abhimanyu. The story goes that Arjun was explaining the intricacies of Chakravyuha a complex, multi-layered military formation to Subhadra who was obviously not interested but Abhimanyu overheard his father and learned how to enter the chakravyuha. But unfortunately Subhadra fell asleep and Abhimanyu could not hear how to exit the chakravyuha. This became the cause of his death on the 13th day of the great battle of Kurukshetra when he was only 16 years old. Abhimanyu was surrounded from all sides by Dron, Karn, Duryodhan and other Kaurava warriors as soon as he entered the Chakravyuha and died fighting valiantly till the end.
Studies on early childhood development have shown that children who are raised in loving, secure environments tend to perform better academically, emotionally, and socially as they grow older.
Conclusion
“The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world” is not just a poetic metaphor, but a truth and often understated power of motherhood. By empowering mothers and supporting their role we can create a more equitable, just, and prosperous world for generations to come.
