It's no lie that mothers are expected to do and be so much. Expectations are high for women, in general, but mothers are supposed to cram 3 times as much into each day... At least, that's how it seems.
Between children, husband, work, home-care, pets, and other things (like taxes or auto care), there is very little time left for "Mommy Time." Those blissful moments where you can exercise, catch up on shows, delve into your hobbies, or just play a few levels of Angry Birds. They are rare, even when I hope to catch a few by staying awake after my kids fall asleep... the Sand Man loves to take me too, apparently.
That's where Super Mom comes out. She's the person inside us that knows how to combine tasks (exercising with the kids by telling them it's Superhero Workout), to let things go when they really aren't important (like mud on their clothes or poop on their bed's foot board... I kid you not!), and finding the ways to let our kids be kids while we also guide them to be responsible, creative, intelligent, kind, and healthy.
I told my doctor that I was fine putting aside my jewelry making because I am fine "just being mommy." Really, when you have a child, you should expect that your life will be re-purposed into one of giving and guiding rather than trying to fulfill your own wants and needs. That's not to say we shouldn't take care of ourselves and shouldn't try to find a little corner of "Me" to keep our own identities. (After all, how do you help your kids find their identities if you allow yourself to lose yours?)
That is why I'm on this journey, and I need to keep reminding myself of this. Eating healthier, exercising, and taking my meds... They all help me achieve and maintain my Super Mom status. My kids see that I'm taking care of myself while taking care of them and the cats. I try to keep my cool when it seems that the mess invades over-and-over and my children are screaming at me and each other.
And there is nothing wrong with feeling a little bit of pride when someone (with or without kids) says, "I don't know how you do it!" Then I achieve some level of Super Woman status with them too, even if I seem a little frazzled or forgetful from time to time.
We may not be perfect. We may not have the power to fly. But we do have the ability to do the impossible. It's something we've inherited from all the women before us.
There's a quote from the movie "Silent Hill" that always struck me. "Mother is God in the eyes of a child." This is so true, but I didn't understand it as much as I do now.
But to my son, I'm a Super Hero. He's called me Wonder Woman, Wonder Mom, Super Mom, Super Girl, Batman Girl, Green Lantern Girl, and so on. To him, Mommy is as strong and brave and as capable of doing amazing things as any of the characters in his cartoons. Mommy can heal with a kiss, calm with a hug, make him happy with tickles, or sad with the tone of her voice (something I try hard not to do!). Mommy can fix almost anything or teach him how to do almost anything, even if she says Daddy will do it (or even when she admits she doesn't know how... Mommy must be playing when she says that!).
So, I'm trying to embrace my status as Super Mom. Super Mom doesn't have to be perfect; no super hero is perfect. But Super Mom is amazing, which means I am too. :-)
