Vanessa McDonald Costa nominated for Daily Telegraph Mother of the Year

Being a mum can be the toughest job in the world but also the most rewarding. That’s according to the latest candidate for The Daily Telegraph Mum of the Year competition.

Vanessa McDonald Costa has been nominated for Mother of the Year by her 7-year-old daughter Olivia who has special needs and is home schooled by her mum. Picture: Toby Zerna

Being a mum can be the toughest job in the world but also the most rewarding.

That’s according to the latest candidate nominated for The Daily Telegraph’s inaugural Mum of the Year competition.

Five Dock mum Vanessa McDonald Costa was nominated by her seven-year-old special needs daughter Olivia.

“I have the best Mum, she is a super Mum … She gave up her job to look after me as I have special needs,” Olivia wrote when she nominated her.

“She is also my Home School Teacher and I learn really cool stuff. She doesn’t get much sleep. She never gets angry when she doesn’t get time to herself.”

Vanessa McDonald Costa has been nominated for Mother of the Year by her 7-year-old daughter Olivia. Picture: Toby Zerna

Seven-year-old Olivia has special needs and is home schooled by her mum. Picture: Toby Zerna

Ms McDonald Costa was honoured to be nominated.

“I was surprised, I was shocked, it is a great sense of honour and pride and happiness,” she said.

“It is so lovely she thought to nominate me, she he is such a beautiful daughter.”

“I know first hand being a single mum raising three kids, especially raising children with disabilities, being a mum is the toughest job in the world.”

She said The Daily Telegraph’s Mum of the Year competition would help highlight the important works mothers do.

“Mums do an amazing job they do so much unpaid work which goes unrecognised,” she said.

Ms McDonald Costa said on top of all the normal housework and homeschooling, being a carer means she is kept busy attending specialist appointments for her daughter Olivia who has been diagnosed with autism, ADHD and anxiety.

“That’s what mums do, we lift our kids up and do what is required,” she said.

Vanessa McDonald Costa has been nominated for Mother of the Year by daughter Olivia. Picture: Toby Zerna

Vanessa McDonald Costa said she was honoured to be nominated for Mother of the Year. Picture: Toby Zerna

Autism Community Network chief executive Steve Drakoulis said mums of kids with special needs did a huge job which was often underappreciated.

“I think every mum of special needs children deserves to be mother of the year,” Mr Drakoulis said.

“We see it every day the challenges these parents face — often they give up their careers and the mum is typically the stay at home parent at the expense of her income as a sacrifice for her kids.

“There is a lot of dedication that comes with that.”

He said autistic children were more likely to require home schooling because they simply could not find their place in a mainstream school.

“It is a huge job, having to follow the curriculum and the discipline of separating between school life and home life,” Mr Drakoulis said.

HOW TO NOMINATE

The Daily Telegraph wants to celebrate all of the state’s fabulous mothers.

From the hardworking to the heroic, from the patient to the persistent, we want to hear your nominations for the inaugural Daily Telegraph Mum of the Year Award.

It could be your mother or it could be someone else’s. It doesn’t matter who.

They could live in Penrith or Penshurst, Mosman or Mortdale, the Blue Mountains or Broken Hill.

Wherever they are, we want to hear why they are the best — from the little things they do to the big things they have achieved in their community.

Tell us in 100 words of less why you have or know the best mum for her chance to be crowned the inaugural Daily Telegraph Mother of the Year. Include your name, their name, a contact mobile phone number and their suburb.

Email nominations to: [e-mail]