Mariam , an only girl child was born into an era where women were confined to specific roles - managing household chores, marital duties and child bearing. ![pexels-media-1441151.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbACi4s563V3AMP94onUY3pymj5jjEL1BmmCaKwiV55Pa/pexels-media-1441151.jpeg) [source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photography-of-woman-s-face-1441151/)

Marian encountered series of obstacles that hindered her dreams and opportunities growing up. Some of the challenges she faced included; * ***Limited Education*** Since education wasn't valued for the female gender, her chances of learning and exploring were restricted, she couldn't go to school as much as she wanted to. ![pexels-media-3061023.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZp37mUfu6ZU2MNN9vWNRhBaTRpyBuA7gvZhEAQGFFDZD/pexels-media-3061023.jpeg) [source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-writing-on-notebook-3061023/) * ***Restricted Social Life*** Mariam's social interactions were restricted by strict boundaries ,this kept her from learning and experiencing different things from different people. * ***Cultural expectations/Pressure to get Married*** Mariam had strict rules she had to live by , anything outside the rules brought judgement and disapproval. Instead of focusing on her skills/talents,her people focused on her ability to become a good wife, they believed Mariam's main goal should be to get married. ![pexels-media-6624119.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmREpj9jbS3XQbdR4Ub7gtPBNgWm7TFqf5zmn4ac7CWNzB/pexels-media-6624119.jpeg) [source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-her-pajama-leaning-on-a-tree-6624119/) * ***Limited Decision Making Process/Economic Dependence*** Every decision about Mariam's life was made by others,she had little or no say at all in matters that greatly affected her future . She wasn't allowed to run any business whatsoever , she wasn't able to earn money for herself so she relied on others for financial support. This limited her freedom even more. ![pexels-media-6603146.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQkYebhW9EhpDSucd9WHvWvhbA4qYKR6Ea7dNKiAm6waz/pexels-media-6603146.jpeg) [source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-sitting-on-the-table-holding-a-fork-6603146/)

As time went on , Mariam became a wife to an alhaji who came seeking her hand in marriage. ![man-proposing-his-girlfriend.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmXugLhWRnxX3YB3gYCFsELHyCLBEdotxASfM7fSoTZWJZ/man-proposing-his-girlfriend.jpg) [source](https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/man-proposing-his-girlfriend_3213010.htm#query=Forced%20African%20marriage&position=7&from_view=search&track=ais&uuid=c47c4db8-b9c9-4682-920e-32314894527c/)

Four years later, Alhaji died in a car accident leaving Mariam with two girls from their union. ![pexels-media-8589075.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmR5xr8j7kUEJR1XXnJP8GXUSDVUddBDaft9zMX6SSsU6a/pexels-media-8589075.jpeg) [source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-girls-smiling-8589075/) At this point, Mariam knew it was going to be hard on her but she was bent on ensuring that both her lovely daughters were given the best education, the one she wished she had growing up . She worked day and night to cover their bills. During the day,she sold at the market ,at nights she ran shifts , she took on several jobs to make ends meet. ![pexels-media-19224096.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmeqnoAZkEsD3URGHJBtVfZ21jmSsizSvSHdRMHyWPZNXk/pexels-media-19224096.jpeg) [source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-hands-cutting-fish-19224096/) When it got really tough on her she drew strength at the mere sight of her lovely daughters,they gave her the strength to pull through every single time. ![pexels-media-6280147.jpeg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTD3VcwVjnMVYsiWUe7N2e4FN6acag6yhZKdZE817aysL/pexels-media-6280147.jpeg) [source](https://www.pexels.com/photo/beautiful-children-hugging-their-mother-6280147/) Despite the challenges,Mariam never allowed her background surpress her dreams, although she was trained to be submissive,it didn't affect her confidence, she refused to allow her family role overshadow her unique abilities . She found ways to grow,quietly challenging society's expectations . As society evolved day by day, Mariam was hell bent on ensuring she improved her daughter's upbringing , breaking free from outdated norms. She aimed to cultivate in her girls a well-rounded, adaptable, and socially conscious mindset preparing them to navigate the complexities of the modern world they've been born into.

***I'll be unveiling Mariam's parenting tactics in the part 2 of this article. Don't miss out__Stay tuned😜***