Mommy Taboo

Why is it such a taboo to say that being a mother is hard? Actually, it's hard as hell!  There, I said those words that mothers all across America think but do not dare to say out loud. Why?

A good friend of mine posted on Facebook that being a mother was the hardest job. She also noted the shame involved with stating such a thing. I found it greatly refreshing and something that needed to be said to clear her soul. And let me tell you, she is one tough cookie! So, why then do we as mothers need to present a fairytale life? Well, it looks like our society has created such an unmentionable.  In the book "The Mask of Motherhood" by Susan Maushart, she explains the "mask of motherhood" to be "a repertoire of socially constructed representations that have crossed the line". She goes on to say that "the mask of motherhood is in fact an assemblage of fronts-mostly brave, serene, and all-knowing-that we use to disguise the chaos and complexity of our lived experience."

We can thank images of a supermom and other falsities out there for our shame. But the praise should go to mothers like my friend who are not ashamed to share their tribulations and trials of motherhood.  Another woman out there who so boldly shares her life is Kristin van Ogtrop. She is the managing editor of Real Simple and the author of "Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for a Half-Insane Working Mom". She also has a blog named "Adventures in Chaos".  In her book "Mom, Interrupted: In a nutshell, your existence. From the moment children enter your life, you will never again have a lengthy adult conversation, finish a home improvement project, or complete a work assignment to your satisfaction before its time to rush out of the office to relive the babysitter."

Some of us have been breaking free of the "fairytale" and have been telling it like it is. We all love our children so much that we would jump in front of a train to save them. But let's be honest ladies and more importantly with ourselves.

Its hard work. We are all a force, amazing, and nurturing. 

When I returned back to Facebook, I realized that my friends' status drew multiple comments.  They were all positive, supportive and endearing words of wisdom from other mothers.  How magnificent is that! Hang in there mommies. We are all on the ride of our life.......