The Diary Game [12/03/2026] // A Mother’s Strength Surviving a Tough Exam Week With My Kids.

Hi guys, accept special Steem greetings from the motherland of Cameroon and welcome to my blog where I share my daily lifestyle content with you all.

This week has been one of the toughest weeks I have experienced since I became a working-class mother in Cameroon. I have faced many difficult moments before, but nothing quite like the pressure and exhaustion that came with these past few days. My children began their 4th sequence exams this week, and balancing my job, motherhood, and the role of a teacher at home stretched me to my absolute limit.

From Sunday morning, the tension was already high. I woke up before dawn, preparing breakfast, organising school materials, and making sure the children were ready for their exams. At the same time, I had to get myself ready for work that comes on Monday. My mind was constantly racing, thinking about whether they had studied enough, whether they would remember what we had revised the night before, and how I would manage the rest of the week without completely breaking down.

Being both mother and father to my children this past 2 months due to my husband’s ill health has never been easy. There are moments when the responsibility feels overwhelming. This week, that feeling was stronger than ever. After long hours at work, I would rush home immediately to continue revision sessions with the children. We went through past questions, corrected mistakes, and encouraged one another even when we were all exhausted.

As if the stress was not enough, we had to deal with frequent and unannounced blackouts during the evenings, the very time we needed electricity the most for studying. Several times while we were deeply focused on revision, the lights would suddenly go off without warning. At first, it felt frustrating and discouraging. It is already difficult preparing children for exams after a long day of work, and losing electricity in the middle of lessons only made things harder.

^{My daughter’s determination to study during unannounced blackout.}

But we refused to give up, instead, we brought out our torches and continued studying under their dim light. Sitting with a small beam of light shining on the books became our new reality for the week. It was not comfortable, and sometimes the toddler would cry or move around, making concentration even harder. Yet in those moments, I saw the determination in my children’s eyes. They were willing to keep studying no matter the conditions.

Sleep became almost impossible, and we stayed up late studying. By the time the children went to bed, I still had to prepare things for the next day, uniforms, school bags, food, and sometimes attend to my toddler in the middle of the night. Taking care of a toddler while managing exam preparation for the older children made everything even more stressful. Some nights I barely slept for two or three hours before waking up again to begin another long day.

Eating properly also became a challenge. Many times I was too tired to cook a full meal for the family, and I realised that my strength was running low. But as a mother, you push through the tiredness because your children depend on you. There were moments during the week when I felt like giving up. I questioned whether I could continue handling all these responsibilities alone. The emotional weight of playing both parental roles without assistance felt very heavy.

Yet somehow, each morning I found the strength to keep going. Seeing my children determined to do their best reminded me of why I had to stay strong. Even when I felt weak, their courage gave me hope. We encouraged each other daily, reminding ourselves that the exams would soon be over.

Finally, the week has come to an end tomorrow when the last exam paper will be written. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Watching my children come home smiling and confident about their performance filled my heart with relief and pride.

Today, as I reflect on everything we went through this week, I realise that God’s grace truly carried us through. Without His strength, I would not have made it. Despite the stress, the sleepless nights, the blackout struggles, and the moments of doubt, we finished the week successfully.

What makes it even more rewarding is that my children performed outstandingly in their exams. Their results were a beautiful reminder that every sacrifice, every late-night revision under torchlight, and every moment of exhaustion was worth it.

This week tested my strength as a mother, but it also reminded me of the power of perseverance, faith, and love. Even when life feels overwhelming, giving up is not an option when your children are depending on you.