"Super Mom" revealed

One aspect of who I am is being a mom.
I recently was watching "The Pioneer Woman" on tv, and it sickened me because Ree was teaching her kids how to make strawberry jam & researching things in the pond, all while making a delicious looking soup. I had the "She is the perfect mom" jealousy wash over me, followed by "I'm not a good enough mom." [For the record, my sister knows Ree and she is a wonderful person and mom.]

The other day I ran into a mom, who had a sick 4 month old, who said, "I'm not a super mom like you." The statement took me aback, didn't she know that I was no where near the mom I wanted to be. Another friend of mine, (who is a mom of 3 little boys and one of the sweetest creatures alive) said to me about spending time with a mutual friend, "Will she think I'm boring?" I responded with something like, "Don't you know how amazing you are to be with? You are wonderful." Just today I was speaking with yet another mom friend (you can see we all stick together) who was exasperated with lack of time to care for her own needs. Time management for moms should be an Olympic sport, it would look something like - In your 5 free minutes, do you try to make money, clean the house, shave the forest on your legs, or God forbid, relax a little. (Why do we feel so guilty that we are humans with needs?) I know, I have been there.

There is this fictional character out there called "Super Mom" that haunts us.
You know the one, she and her kids are perfect, and she has-it-all together all-the-time.

This all to say, that if you are a mom and you are trying, I applaud you.
I applaud even louder if you try to care for your own need first. I can hear the gasps as well as the sighs of relief. (Kind of like in airplanes, how we are suppose to put the face mask with oxygen on our self first. The idea of if you are at your best you can be better for those around you.) Of course, I'm not advocating leaving your kid in a hot car while you go inside to take a bath or anything crazy dangerous like that.
It is OK that you are a person with needs, its OK to have days where things don't go right at all (you know the covered in avocado, when was the last time I showered, yes that is my child crying days). Be the first to show yourself grace. Or if it's another mom's bad day - show her grace too.
There is no room for jealousy when others have what appear to be "Super Mom" days.
And be ever proud of yourself when things go incredibly well, and you make jam and go to the pond and have yummy soup :)

be yourself, do what you love.