Supermom is a Myth

Supermom does not exist. She is a story, fabricated to make all of us mothers feel inadequate, to feel like we are lacking in some way, shape or form. Much like Superman- she has powers we cannot physically embody. We may long for them, we may think it would be good to just have ONE (X-ray vision, anybody?), but they are unattainable.

I've been called supermom before. I am not supermom. I don't want to be supermom. I am far from supermom.

Supermom implies you have everything together, under control, and that you are, in a sense, a perfectionist who wants others to see your world as perfection. 

It's true, I pick up and *try* to vacuum before company arrives, so my house often appears clean. I've heard it's a Southern Value, but I just remember going into speed-clean mode growing up before company came... I still do it at my Mom's house! It's not a show of perfection, it's a courtesy to company. Take a deeper look, though- my highchair has caked on grime, I  haven't dusted in... well, I hate absolutely despise to dust. It's been a LONG time- we'll just leave it at that.

My kids like to learn and ask often to do education or "homeschool" activities. I don't push them, I don't force them to sit for hours on end doing math problems and literacy skills. They  like it- we do it. I've found amazing resources online that are FREE and help aid in the process. Sometimes we go for months without doing anything and we all get along just fine. Being so sick and pregnant recently, we have spent a LOT of time parked in front of the TV. I'm ok with that.

I like to cook. No, I LOVE it. It never was a passion of mine until about 3 years ago. I love making menus, planing each meal, prepping it, etc. Nothing we make is gourmet by any means, but tweaking a recipe here and there is fun for me! I learned from my Dad that it's fun to play with your food! Is mealtime stress-free, quiet, calm, serene? NO. N.O. W.A.Y. Most of the time, at least one kid is crying, one is hanging on my leg asking for something and a butt always has to be wiped. Always. I am a planner by nature, so finding time to enjoy the cooking process is essential for me. If I can snag 5-10 min while the kids are "resting" or if I have to plug them into the tube once again, it happens.

But these things... they don't make me a Supermom. They often weigh on me. These, and many other things, I feel like I should do, need to do, don't do... our list as mothers is unending. As Moms, we are constantly comparing ouselves and our kids to everyone else. We find a flaw in ourselves and see another Mom who doesn't have that flaw... she MUST have it all together. I've found it so comforting to give up these pretenses and just live in blatant honesty with other Moms. It eases them into a place of honesty and then we can enjoy each others faults, setbacks, and piles of dirty dishes. We can come to a place where there is no judgement- a place where we can learn to serve others and accept help when it's offered. Life is much, much easier in this place.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

As moms, our days are full and our nights are short. We've got laundry to do, dishes to wash, homes to clean, and screaming babies (or teenagers!) that prevent us from getting anything done. At times it feels like we will never accomplish everything we need to. And in those moments, we need to put everything aside, and reflect on who God is and what we can accomplish through Him. Only HE is capable of being Superman. He is perfect and while we can strive to be Christ-like, we will always fall short.

I like knowing I can't be Supermom, that I can't be perfect. It takes the pressure off! God will give you the strength to do what He has set out for you in this life. Dusting and all!