Superwoman or Nuts?

First, I got this title from a coworker who doesn't have any children that tells all us working moms that we must either be superwomen or nuts for balancing a career with motherhood. Second, I always reference superwoman because I feel that it's an image mothers of today feel like they have to uphold or something. And third, I definitely am not superwoman. And last, if you want some good laughs and some sarcasm maybe continue to read.

First, whenever I make it to the end of a long week like this week, I sometimes wonder how I survived without killing someone, misplacing one of my children, or jumping off a cliff. So superwoman mentality, I don't think so. Nuts, sounds like it, huh?

Let's be honest. Us mothers adore, love our children more than anything else in the world, they are our pride and joy. However, as much as they make me smile in happiness, there's at least a few times a week I want to play hide and seek with them and never come out! Okay, maybe never, but at least until after bedtime. They cry and they scream and they fight. And sometimes it just makes me want to cry and scream and start a fight with anyone that's willing to pick a fight with me. Again, superwoman, nope. Nuts, crazy, hmmm, maybe just a little.

And let's face it, moms of young kids, when was the last time you got to go to the bathroom or take a shower alone? I've gone to the bathroom with a kid sitting on my lap! More than once! Heck, just this morning, I'm taking a nice hot shower because I don't feel so well, and next thing I know my four year old is stripped down to her birthday suit and she's getting in the shower with me. Superwoman? Maybe going to the bathroom with a kid on your lap qualifies?

I have hurt my kids. That definitley makes you the opposite of superwoman. My oldest one time was bending down to pick something up for me as I was opening the car door and whoop I smacked her right in the face with the door. Yeah, that makes you feel awesome as a parent. My toddler just last weekend was leaning on the screen door, but I didn't know it when I went to open it and out she went face first onto the asphalt. Luckily there was a mat there to meet her face rather than the concrete so the bruise wasn't AS bad.

Managing work? How's that going for everyone else. Once, I went to work not feeling so great. I think it was a Thursday or Friday, so the point in the week where I just feel dead on my feet and beat down. Because I didn't feel so great and I only had one more period to go, I literally passed out for a nap on the couch in our office for my forty five minute planning. How's that for confessions? Don't worry, taxpayers, I'm sure I made up for it later with the ridiculous amount of grading English teachers have that cannot be completed in a regular work day. As for the rest of work. I have not physically harmed a student that pissed me off so I think that might qualify for superwoman.

Managing a household. Well, luckily I've only ALMOST burnt our house down twice but have never actually done it thankfully (that's not counting my college apartment either). Big thankful. I'm sure my old neighbors won't ever forget me screaming for my husband to hurry up before the propane tank blew out back. Needless, to say my husband rarely lets me touch cooking appliances. Laundry. Well, my sister who I really think is superwoman, somehow does laundry EVERY day. Not this lady. In fact, I was recently told I shouldn't let our clothes sit in the washer for days on end. Whoops. Quite honestly once I hit the week everything becomes such a whirlwind that laundry is the last thing on my mind. Dishes. By the way I have not had a dishwasher in seven years. So that right there should qualify as superwoman! Again, there are many nights if we're not finished with dinner by a certain time, sorry, those dishes are sitting there until the next day or if it's the end of the week maybe for a few days even (hope my mother doesn't read that!) This would be like a huge taboo for my mother and sister but I'm leaning more towards being nuts than superwoman. I also have a tendency to kind of forget I'm doing the dishes, and have flooded my kitchen with LOTS of water at least three times.

Quite honestly I feel like I'm one step ahead of crazy half the time. I have gone to work with my contacts in the wrong eyes, two different shoes on, binkies in my pocket, my hair not fixed at ALL (some people probably wonder if I even brush it because it's so unruly), I have slept on towels instead of sheets because someone has peed the bed (not me either-okay, and not my husband either). My children get themselves up on the weekend while we lay in bed and they run around. Most of the time they're jumping all over us in the bed but sometimes they're up to mischief. I leave my four year old "in charge" probably way more than I should.

(Photo provided by Sandia Pantano Imaging and Photography )

 

So superwoman, no. Nuts, probably just a little. But whatever I am, whatever we are, we're surviving in this crazy world, and we're happy. I don't doubt the girls know they are well loved, and most of the time I feel confident that we're teaching them the right values and morals of life. Because we are so busy we try to focus on quality time whether it's stories at night, playing in the yard or at the park, cheering them on at gymnastics, taking them to a movie or special date, having dinner together, or laying in bed together on the weekends. Unfortnately, it never feels like it's enough and I feel that I should be giving them more mommy time than what they get, but I look at the wonderful little girls they are and I know I must be doing okay because I think they're two pretty great little girls. And as long as I stay one step ahead of crazy I think it'll all be okay. 

My mom who was able to stay home with my sisters and I always says she can't imagine how much more difficult raising young children must be for me and my sister with careers. I follow so many moms on facebook and I  hear frequently how overwhelmed and exhausted we all are. But, I also listen to all of you on facebook and wonder how do you do it so gracefully and like it's so simple even though you're exhausted and overwhelmed. Because as you can see there's isn't much grace in my parenting. No matter our level of grace or how overwhelmed we each are, the thing I love the most about what I see is how much we all love our children unconditionally and do the best we can to instill the right things in their lives. For us that seems like there is no other way but as many of my teacher friends know not every kid is lucky enough to have parents like that. For that alone we are all super moms and dads!