To Be or Not To Be SuperMom

Every school year I get myself into a pickle. I think it happens subconsciously but I’m starting to wonder if I’m secretly sabotaging myself.

I want to be the SuperMom of my children’s schools. I want to single-handedly deliver nutritious yet delicious home-made snacks while attending every PTA meeting, organizing fundraisers that are a huge success, spending copious amounts of time in each child’s classroom and volunteering in the library, cafeteria, and playground. When I don’t live up to my ridiculous standards I beat myself up emotionally. Most of the time because I’m trying to do so many things that everything ends up getting done half assed. It’s a vicious cycle.

This year I’m bound and determined to give myself some obtainable expectations and let go when I’m not perfect.

I’m not sure when I developed the persona of SuperMom but I know I’m not the only mom who’s fallen victim to her image. It’s common to see the moms at school who are running in 5 different directions at once but forgot to brush their hair (or get out of their pajamas) that morning. Moms who spend so much time at school they should have their own personal parking space. Dropping the kids off at school in the mornings I hear other moms talk about how tired they are because they stayed up late making cupcakes from scratch (insert other activity) for their child’s class.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m a firm believer that parents need to be involved with the schools and teachers certainly can use the helpers.

I have a problem when as moms, we push ourselves to the point of constantly feeling like we are coming unraveled. I have a problem when being a parent starts to feel like a competition. I have a problem when my best isn’t good enough and trying to be the 2010 version of June Cleaver is driving me batty.

This year I will:

1.) meet all the kid’s teachers

2.) go on one field trip with each kid

3.) be an active participant in each child’s education but not to the point that I smother them

4.) attend all concerts/plays/ sporting events that my kids are in

I will NOT:

1.) volunteer for every activity that comes along

2.) feel inferior of the Stepford Moms of the PTA

3.) push myself to the point where I’m stressing over school stuff way past my bedtime

I’m going to work on redefining the term SuperMom to make it fit the type of mom I am. I am a mom who loves my children unconditionally and will do my best to get my children to adulthood happy, healthy, and well-adjusted. I think that should be good enough.