"Super Mom" by Definition

super mom
Main Entry: su·per·mom
Pronunciation: \ˈsü-pər-ˌmäm\
Function: noun
Date: 1974
: an exemplary mother ; also : a woman who performs the traditional duties of housekeeping and child-rearing while also having a full-time job

According the last part of Merriam-Webster's definition, almost every mom I know is a "super mom". (I was surprised to see that the term "super mom" dates back to 1974, two years before I was born!) It appears that any woman who is the primary caretaker of the children and home and has a full-time job is a "super mom". I will not argue with that.

What I am pondering is this... What are the "traditional duties of housekeeping and child-rearing"? Does this mean I must iron all of my husband's denim pants (jeans) as my grandmother did in 1974? Must there be a multiple-course, home-cooked supper waiting patiently for my husband to arrive home each evening? Must I be the one who attends to all the children's needs at all times?

How can this modern, 21st century working mother compete with the 1974 super mom? Is it even possible? Did the 1974 "exemplary" version ever exist? What makes an "exemplary" mother in 2009?

I am Super Mommy

My name is Super Mommy. I appear to be an average person. I'm a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law, a daughter-in-law, an aunt, a friend and above all, a wife and mother. I'm just an average person. Until I put on my cape. Then my true identity is revealed. I am Super Mommy. I fix meals, boo-boos and problems all at once. I entertain, clean and plan. I am a teacher, a nurse, and a cook. And that's just my day job! I manage the house, the finances, the chores and the children. I am the caretaker of the the lawn and the laundry. I am a barber, a chauffer, a gardener, a stylist, an interior designer, a maid, a survivor and a lover! Am I just an average person? I am over-worked and under-paid. I am happy.

My name is Super Mommy. Welcome to my world...