RD&T contributing writer, Jenny Paulin, discusses the Supermom Complex and ways to tackle it before burning out.
I work with moms. Hands down, the busiest group of humans on the planet.
One minute we’re scanning dinner recipes while placing a call for long-overdue doctor’s visits, simultaneously giving nonverbal cues to our bustling family members (who are still communicating with us despite our being obviously entwined in other things). The next minute, we’re using our commute time to prep for a presentation while getting harassed by the mental Olympics our brain is doing of the kids’ upcoming activities.
Supermoms
It’s just plain easy to feel overwhelmed, scattered, and oftentimes, helplessly chained to our daily lives. Moreover, it seems we American moms have it (or take it) the worst.
In a recent study researching mothers’ careers and caregiving, women across four Western countries were found to want the same general thing: to be able to work and raise children without one inhibiting the other. But it turns out, it’s the level at which we want each of these things that separates us.
Among the countries researched, U.S. moms felt the least willing to choose between motherhood and career.
