Mother’s Day w. Helle Mardahl & Stine Goya
Two creatives. Two mothers. One very long friendship.
Helle Mardahl and Stine Goya on the bonds that last.
At what point did you realise this was one of those friendships that would last?
Helle: We worked together, travelled together, raised our boys together. At some point it stopped being a friendship and started being family.
Stine: There wasn't one exact moment, more an evolution over many years. A friendship collaged together from super happy, crazy moments, having kids at the same time, supporting each other through hard times, and being completely honest with each other when there's a disagreement.
That honesty is what makes it last.
What does a regular week together actually look like?
Helle: We work out together twice a week and have coffee after. We never grow tired of it. We talk everything through — our children, life, all of it.
Stine: We're in some form of contact 6–12 times a week. My husband finds this remarkable. Not that he thinks there's anything wrong with it, he just genuinely doesn't understand how we always have so much to talk about.
Finish this sentence: "When I became a mother, I didn't expect..."
Helle: ...how overwhelming it would be. There's an extreme beauty in being there for someone else completely, but it fills everything.
Stine: ...to feel the kind of love you can only
feel for your kids. It's endless. But also the feeling of being insufficient surprised me. Even when you spend every hour trying to give them what they need while also having a professional life. Not always the easiest.
What's something the other person does as a mother that you admire?
Helle: Stine has always had an extra reserve of energy. She prioritises deeply, sees her children for who they are, and has real patience. She's honest about what's hard too, and she shares openly.
Stine: Helle does so many creative things with her boys. I really admire this — I believe creativity helps build confidence in children by letting them open their minds and express themselves in ways that feel safe and playful.
You became mothers at the same time and went through pregnancy together — what has that meant for your friendship?
Helle: Everything. We've followed each other so closely that we share the same joys, the same challenges, the same conversations. We've never grown apart.
Stine: We would have had the same close
relationship even without kids, I'm sure. But sharing the journey of motherhood adds one more layer to what we already have.
What's the one piece of motherhood advice you keep coming back to?
Helle: Show them the world. Different places, different people, different layers of society. Let them see that people are different.
Stine: Show a lot of interest in your children's lives; play with them, talk to them. Do it even when you're tired, even when you don't feel like playing football. They need to feel listened to and seen. That's how you help them become confident.
What would your ideal Mother's Day actually look like?
Helle: Receiving love from my boys. Maybe a bouquet of flowers, a hug, a thank you.
Stine: A full day completely on my own and then dinner with my family in the evening.
What's the most important thing your own mother taught you?
Helle: Look people in the eye. Listen. Ask them about themselves. Make them feel welcome, seen and heard. Say yes, go explore and stay grounded.
Stine: To believe in myself. She always supported me in whatever I wanted to do.
