The Supermom ideal

I know we have all heard the term "supermom" and we probably all thought the same thing before we had kids--that's a mom that does it all. Now that I am part of that demographic, this term just makes me bitter. I am, by no means at all, a "supermom. "Yes, I work 5 days a week outside the home, take the kids to and from daycare, make meals, do the shopping, do the laundry, clean the house, pay the bills, play with the kids as much as possible, and try to be a good wife somewhere in between. But to me, that's just what being a mom entails. I don't think I am "super" for accomplishing these tasks, and by the end of the work week, I certainly don't feel "super." I am exhausted, like every other mother on this planet. And therein lies the bitterness. I hate that we working moms are trying to live up to a term that doesn't even make sense. We can't possibly live up to the expectations of what most people think of when they hear that term.

Now, I am more than happy to strive to be a "super mom." Note the space between those two words. It's amazing how one tiny space can make those two terms so vastly different. If someone were to tell me I was a "super mom", I would be thrilled! And really, that's what we should all try to be. Forget that whole idea of working your tail off in order to have everything perfect. Get fast food once a week, so you can spend that extra time playing with your 3 year old. Hold the laundry off until the weekend, so you can read books, play hide and seek, and sing silly songs. That's what being a "super mom" is really all about.