08 May So You Think You’re A Super Mom

Faster than a speeding toddler … more powerful than a Hoover upright … able to leap large PTA meetings in a single bound! It’s a bird … it’s a plane … its Super mom!

Or at least that’s who you’re trying to be. The problem is, being the perfect mom is as impossible as becoming an actual superhero—it is not who we were created to be.

Barbara Rainey, co-author of the book Parenting Today’s Adolescent, understands the pressure to be perfect. “It comes from expectations that we place on ourselves,” explains the mother of six.

Add on the desire to exercise, keep your home in order and have something left over for your husband, and women can feel downright crushed—which is how the archenemy of moms wants them to feel.

“Too often behind our smile is a growing frustration and fatigue that starts to come out in other ways,” writes Carol Kuykendall, director of communications for Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) International. “We have less patience. Shorter fuses. Headaches.”

Whether you have one child at home or 10, whether you work outside the home or not, and whether you’re single or married, there is no quick fix to the super mom problem.

Ask for Help

Moms are not born with capes, and shouldn’t go looking for them. And while they do SUPER jobs, there is not an invisible “S” stamped on their chests. Young children always want to help with the chores, but somewhere between the age of three and when they are actually required to do real chores, that urge to help simply vanishes! Despite the complaints (the ones that are actually heard, or not), moms should ask for help from everyone, including the family. Children as young as two and three can do simple chores that they’ll actually enjoy. Besides, it’ll get them in the habit of helpfulness now, hopefully making it easier to build upon for the future. If possible hire help for those tasks that seem to always be daunting or remain outstanding. Sometimes the money is worth every penny when the task is no longer the proverbial albatross around one’s neck. Attempting to fulfill the role of “super mom” is a super easy way to make one super mom tired.

Take Time for Yourself

Who takes care of mom and all of the things that mom manages when mom gets ill? The answer is typically – no one. If that is indeed the case, moms need to remember to care for themselves before they can care for family to avoid the illness that will make their lives only more chaotic. They should allow time to do things just for themselves. For example, time to exercise, get a massage, read, listen to music or meditate. Whatever it is, quiet “all about mom time” provides moms with an opportunity to rejuvenate and refill patience levels that can help one again achieve clarity. It’s necessary and downright crucial to achieving better time management. Can anything operate full throttle when its energy is half depleted? Well, neither can mom!

Take A Break

Let’s face it – parenting children is challenging. Not only do kids demand our constant attention, it’s our job to protect and teach them. It’s not an easy task, and it wears down even the most devoted mother. Fatigue takes over, exhaustion sets in, and it doesn’t take long before your body gives you a message: Take a break!

Ready To Tweak It

You’ve got the tools to put everything in place, so once you apply them they’ll stay that way, right? Not even close. Now that you have some ideas for getting a handle on that ever elusive time thing, just remember that effectively managing time will be ongoing. Continue to plan and always be ready and willing to adapt your schedule to better suit your needs. Yes, yours! Most importantly remember that you have more control over your time than you think you do. You have the knowledge, skills and ability to stop tasks from overrunning your life. Enjoy all of your extra time.

Remember That You Can’t Control It All

Don’t try to control everyone or fix everything. Control is God’s job, and the more we allow Him to be in charge, the more emotional and physical energy we will have. If we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves or our families, we’ll end up tired and disappointed. When deciding to take on a task, learn to gauge your time and energy.

Do we really need to do it all — or is it okay if we can’t? What is most important: doing everything right or doing the best we can with what really matters? Realizing that we can’t be everything to everybody can make life seem less stressful.

While super moms don’t exist, with God’s help, supernatural moms do. The idea of a super mom and perfect executive, parent, wife and community leader, it’s not possible. And when all is said and done, the best tip is to keep life simple, enjoy everyday pleasures. And don’t get down on yourself when you can’t do it all!