I have been thinking about stereotypes lately.  One of the stereotypes I have been thinking about is that of the mother.  I am a mother, so I guess I can be a voice of experience.  There are several different mother roles: overwhelmed/end of her rope mother; super mother; the archetype mother (I am thinking the 1950’s “June Cleaver” type).  I have been accused of being ‘June Cleaver’.  I laugh in the face of that accusation.

Motherhood is a mixed blessing.

You spend months building the little critter inside you.  You go through several hours of pain that you couldn’t have ever imagined.  Then you are handed this wee creature that is your soul responsibility until they are ready to go off on their own.  It is amazing, terrifying, humbling.  There is so much potential, and a lot of hope that you don’t totally screw this up.

I spend a lot of time with my kids.  My favourite response to the fact that I home school my children was, “Why the hell would you want to do that?  I can’t wait until my children are in school.”  I occasionally joke about how I now know why children in the past were farmed out at the age of eight.  It is not all sunshine and roses hanging out with your kids all day.  There are days I feel more like a sergeant-major than a mom, poking, prodding, shouting, directing to get children up, dressed, fed and doing.  There are very few jobs that people feel they can sit in judgement on your performance, offer suggestions, and/or interfere.  I would never even think to suggest to my doctor, dentist, grocery store attendant that they could/should be doing more, better, differently, less, patiently, more stern… but once you become a mother you are frequently subjected to uninvited advice, or, another favourite, disregarded in your own knowledge of your children.

Introductions in new situations are awesome when you are a stay at home mom… ‘Hi, I am (fill in the blank)’.  ‘Oh hi, I am (fill in the blank)’.  ‘I am a blah blah for the blahbededah.  What is it you do?’   ‘I am a stay-at-home mom…’  (drawn out awkward silence)  ‘Well, so nice meeting you.  I see a friend over there I haven’t greeted yet’ (quick escape).  I am not exactly sure what they think I am going to do (I reserve my conversation about children and parenting to those who actually know my children and care), but it always amazes me how quickly I can unintentionally kill a conversation by that answer.