As a Mum, you need to keep a plethora of plates spinning at the same time. You need to be able to attend to your children's’ every need. You need to be able to compartmentalise your brain into “home mode” and “work mode” (not easy when those locations are likely one and the same at present). You need to be able to pursue excellence and show ambition in your career, while also being unimpeachable as a parent. Oh, and you’re expected to look amazing while doing it. It’s enough to give even the bravest of us pause. Yet Mums take it all in their stride.
And yet…
Mums (and women in general) are still constantly underestimated. We still need to battle against stereotypes that have been debunked generations ago. Whether we have sons or daughters, we need to lead by example and show them that the limitations society places on gender are complete nonsense. You can disprove gender stereotypes by rounding out your skills and becoming the kind of autodidact that most parents find themselves needing to be anyway. For example...
Fixing things around the house
Many Mums enjoy making their living space their own, making design changes and keeping things cosy, clean, fresh and inviting for the whole family. But every now and then, something goes awry in the home. And while there are some household repairs that we should absolutely not attempt ourselves (electrics, plumbing and anything to do with your roof are best left to a professional), little things like changing tap washers when they get leaky, fixing fallen shelves and the like are all just as doable for Mums as they are for Dads.
Getting to grips with the car’s workings
The stereotypes about women drivers are bad enough. But the idea that women have an inherently lesser understanding of how their vehicles work than their male counterparts is inaccurate and a little offensive. As kids get older, they may take more of an active interest in how the car’s internal workings. They may ask what lights on the dashboard mean, or how the car does what it does. It’s much nicer to be able to answer their questions with confidence than to say “Ummm, ask your father”.
Finding the time for family and career
For generations, women have been conditioned to believe that they have to make a choice. To excel as a parent or to excel in their career. You need to show your kids that they needn’t be defined by other people’s expectations. That they can achieve success on their own terms. That they can, like you, excel in their jobs and their parental responsibilities, even when it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do one, let alone both.
Our kids could be at the vanguard of a new generation, that looks at gender stereotypes as the silly (but infuriating) anachronism that they are. They can grow up believing in gender parity and equal opportunities for all. And that’s something really worth getting excited about!
