Supermoms?

 

She is the woman who has 4 kids under five, who works/homeschools, who teaches Sunday school, keeps a clean house, is artistic, all while baking delicious goodies for the charity sale. She is a Supermom.  

Everyone has other mothers in their lives that they look up to; their 'Supermoms'. We determine just how super they are by a variety of factors - how many children they have, how much they work outside the home, their creative hobbies, and so on. The 'I don't know how she does it' mentality is common amongst mommy friends. But do these comparisons help us become better mothers, or do they just damage our self-esteem? 

It's great to surround ourselves with other mothers we can learn from and aspire to. Titus 2:4 says older women can train younger women to love their husbands and children. Other mothers (especially experienced ones) can offer help and advice, as well as practical help. Have you ever tried to learn to sew or bake using a book? Always better to ask a mother you know that has this skill. The time together will not only teach you the skill, but just by asking her you will be raising her self esteem. 

Problems arise when we go from "Look what she can do" →"I wish I could do that" →"Why can't I do that?" →"I must be lazy/stupid/a bad mother". How wonderful it would be if we could stop after the first step! But, here's the truth. Your family is your family. What you can/can't do is between you, your husband and God. Compare yourself to yourself and no-one else. Did you used to be a good cleaner? You can be again. Do you have a flair for the artistic? Then use it. Try your hand at something new, not because you want to be like others (or worse, beat them), but because you think it would benefit you or your family.
 
Remember this above all - God gave you your family and situation because he knows you can handle it and bring good from it. No one else could raise your children the way you do, and no one else could be your husband's partner the way you are. You are your family's Supermom. Let that be enough.