Celebrating Mother’s Day with four generations

By Kate Walters

May 9, 2025

Four generations of women: Great-grandmother Jennifer Leddra, mum Haley Bourke with her youngest daughter Brydie Bondeson, grandmother Allison Don, grandmother Sally Leddra, great-grandmother Dennise Rowe and, front, great-grandmother Judy Don with her great-granddaughter Ruby Bondeson. Photo by Kate Walters

For two-year-old Ruby Bondeson and her seven-month-old sister, Brydie, there’s a lot to celebrate this Mother’s Day.

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The two girls have three generations of women helping to shape their lives.

At a recent family celebration, the youngsters were surrounded by their mum, two grandmothers and three great-grandmothers, among other family members.

“It’s special that they can have so many great-grandmothers around, and their grandmothers,” the girls’ mum, Haley Bourke, said.

It’s special, too, for the older generations.

“For me, to be here — meaning alive — to have great-grandchildren, I probably never counted on that, never thought I’d get to that stage,” Jennifer Leddra said.

“For me, it’s an honour. It’s fantastic, I love it.”

Things have changed since each of these women went through the experience of early motherhood — Haley doesn’t spend hours every day washing cloth nappies the way her grandmothers did — but the love and adoration for the youngest members of the family has remained a constant.

Still, parenting can be difficult and sometimes isolating.

Haley’s mum, Allison Don, remembers her first Mother’s Day as a parent as a somewhat difficult time.

“I had a baby who was very unsettled, so my first Mother’s Day was a struggle,” Allison said.

She was sleep-deprived and deep in some of the hardest parts of parenting.

Now, sharing Mother’s Day with her adult children, as well as her grandchildren, Haley’s mum feels she’s experiencing some of the best parts of being a parent.

“Being a grandmother is the reward,” Allison said.

Becoming a mother helped Haley to understand her own mum better, she said.

“I’ve become a lot closer with my mother since having kids,” Haley said.

In the same vein, Jennifer said becoming a grandparent and great-grandparent had offered insight for her into the experiences her own parents had.

“You realise what your parents were to your children as grandparents. You realise the love that they had, the deep love,” Jennifer said.

“It’s a real honour to be here for them.

“I’ve had a hard few years and those children have been my light.”

The many women surrounding Ruby and Brydie as they grow said their wish for the girls was that they grow up safe, happy and surrounded by loving family.