A best-selling author with the sequel already on the shelves, a diligent entrepreneur and an inspiration to all her followers are some of the caps Basetsana Moeketsi wears with pride. However, it is the seat of motherhood that continues to multiply the fullness in her heart as she watches her kids grow.

Basetsana shares the emotions of becoming a mother and how she felt when she and her hubby welcomed their first bundle of joy.

“I was overwhelmed but also very happy when my first child arrived because the baby was born at a time when my husband and I had both just lost family members. For us, the child became a symbol of restoration, healing, and peace. My firstborn was also an assurance that everything happens for a reason and that for every loss you take, a win will find you on the other end,” she says.

Family picture  |  SUPPLIED

Many years later, Basetsana stands a doting mother of four. She talks about the difference of what it was like with her first child and how things got appreciably better by the time her newest baby came.

“At first, I was anxious and very scared, being a first-time mom. Everything was just so new and there was a lot of information overload. I was also stressed out most of the times by little things, like if the baby didn’t do something I once read about, I would rush to the hospital to check if there was something going on when in actuality everything was fine. At the time, I had no support from elders because my fiance and I had moved to start afresh, so it was just us and raising our first baby. I feel like the experience would’ve been different had my mother been there to help me or if I was back home.

“With my latest child, motherhood is smoother and I feel much more relaxed. I’m more experienced, and I don’t feel any anxiety. If anything, I’ve grown to be very proud and confident of the mother I’ve grown to become over the years,” she says.

The And When You Pray Tonight author speaks about how her own loving upbringing continues to have a positive effect on her ability to be a mother, citing the importance of her parents and her wish to surpass them in parenthood.

“My parents did a fantastic job, I won’t lie. If anything, my biggest goal is to beat the way my parents provided for me. I got more than I could ever imagine. They were very present and loving, and so right now, I’m picking up from where they left off in the way that they raised me. You know, trying to be better and to top them in the way I raise my own kids,” she says.

Basetsana holding the hand of her newest baby  |  SUPPLIED

When the house is full of energetic kids, fights breaking out between them are inevitable. With a blessed marriage of four kids, two of whom being fraternal twins, things are no different.

She sighs before answering the question of sibling rivalries between the kids.

“The age gap between each of the kids is two years, with first being four (turning five), the twins being two (turning three), and the new one still being zero. With the older three, things are so intense, we’ve gotten to the point of trying to make sure they don’t kill each other. That’s how it is, especially between the twins since they are a boy and a girl, so the personalities are on opposite spectrums. In fact, we are the police now, we aren’t even parents anymore. But I appreciate that when they get over what they are going through at the time, they are able to apologise to each other and move on,” she says.

Basetsana shares the importance of having a strong support system as a woman who continues to pursue education as well as a running her own things on the side. She spotlights her husband as well as their live-in childminder as being linchpins of her stability.

“I’m blessed to say I now have better support—I have a nanny who stays in and I call her the secondary parent because of the amazing job she does with them. I even feel that the babies gravitate towards her more. When she’s around, they listen. But when it’s me, it’s a mess. So when my husband and I are not home, we know that they are safe and also on their best behaviour. I am also quite blessed to have a present husband who always makes sure that he’s there when I need him. For example, I’m pursuing my postgrad this year, and as a mom of four, I’m always asked how I manage the workload. Support does go a long way, and as the babies get older, raising them becomes less and less demanding,” she says.

The family looking festive  |  SUPPLIED

Basetsana goes on to share what her favourite part of being a mother is.

“My favourite thing about motherhood is looking at my heart in human form. When I look at them play, I feel so blessed just knowing they all come from me. It’s a feeling that I cannot explain. I have people who are so close to my heart and who rely on me so much. These are people who look at me and see their whole world. With them, I know I don’t have to be a specific person because at my worst, they will see me as the best version of myself. Knowing that alone brightens up my day, no matter what I may be going through at the time,” she says.

She rounds up the conversation with what a fun day looks like with the kids.

“Whenever we have fun, we try to keep it as intimate as possible because we have a team with us. When we go to restuarants or places with lots of kids, it gets so chaotic because of the clashing personalities. One of the kids will want to go to the slides. The other one will want to go to another place. So a good outing for us is something cosy and secluded like picnics in the yard or wildlife drives, as long as it’s something we know we can control. But I do believe that as time goes by, we’ll be able to take them to places where there are lots of other kids,” she says.