Channeling My Inner Super-Mom

Back in the day, when I had a job that paid money and required me to wear makeup and get my clothes dry cleaned, I was a pretty ambitious woman. I sought out opportunities to impress those with power, and I entertained visions of myself as a Department Chair or Dean of Students or even Head of Upper School one day.

Then I had kids.

I left my paying job and took on the insanely hard job of being a "stay at home" mom. A job that is so absurd, that on any given day I might look in the mirror and think, "What the hell am I doing with my life?" or I might think, "I love this life so much - I can't imagine going back to my old job." While I might be ambivalent about my stay at home status, I feel comfortable in my complete lack of ambition in the world of stay at home mommyhood. I think I am a good mom. And I know for sure that I work hard to take care of our kids and our home. But I know my limits. Yes, I cook dinner most nights. But, no, I will not offer to host the class dinner at our house. Yes, I will go into Kara's classroom to volunteer on occasion. No, I will not chaperone the trip to the zoo.

Maybe it was the specter of Mother's Day coming up, but last week I was "Supermom". First, I baked bread every day. Then, on a Thursday, not Sunday, I roasted a chicken and served up a Thanksgivingesque dinner. I tutored two nights and managed to arrange my schedule so that I didn't miss Kara's t-ball game. I weeded in the yard and mowed the lawn. I worked out twice and did yoga one day during Jamie's nap. I ran about a hundred errands. I baked cinnamon rolls for the teacher appreciation breakfast. I spent over an hour cutting out tissue paper rectangles for a craft (pictured above) I then went to Kara's class to teach the kids. I volunteered to work at the sand art table at the Spring Fair and stayed until the bitter end while Kara ran around in a sugar-induced frenzy. I planted zinnia and sunflower seeds. I cleaned our bathroom for real - not in the half-assed way I typically do.

I am freakin' exhausted. This supermom stuff is for the birds. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed last week. (Despite the poison ivy I got from the weeding - that oughta teach me.) But I also enjoy the weeks where the most I accomplish is taking the dog for a walk. So for all the supermoms out there: Good for you. I will stick with the low-ambition version of mommyhood.