Definition of the Modern Mother
Stephenie Freeman

I never thought I would define myself as modern. Just hearing the word makes me think of artistic, designer clothes and furniture with sharp edges and shiny, black leather. To be modern is to be abstract, funky, and cool. As I sit in my sweatpants and running shoes, looking at my Pottery Barn meets French cottage home, I can’t help but feel that I am the furthest thing from modern.

The dictionary describes the word modern as, “a person of the present era or of modern tastes.” No where in that definition are the words “modish” or “nonfigurative.” It really is a simple meaning. It is all about being in the now, being current. Suddenly, I realize that maybe I am more modern than I give myself credit for.

I would describe today’s mother, the Modern Mother, as the following:

The only designer clothes in her closet are sunglasses and shoes, neither of which requires dry cleaning for chocolate pudding fingerprints or Kool-Aid spills from a leaky Sippy cup.
Her pantry is filled with both organic raisins and applesauce from Whole Foods, whole grain crackers, Easy Mac, Spaghettio’s and peanut butter; a true mixture of what her child will eat and what she wishes he would.
She searches for inexpensive, oversized, designer handbags to carry instead of a diaper bag that screams, “Look at me! I’m somebody’s mommy!” The large Coach bag she bought online holds diapers and wipes just as well as any L.L. Bean tote ever could.
She learns to knit because she read that it is the latest trend in Hollywood and all of those scarves will make great Christmas presents. It also gives her something to do while waiting in the car for an hour during soccer practice.
She has magazine subscriptions to both Vogue and Parents to keep up with what she wishing she was wearing and how she should be parenting. She rarely gets to read either.
She chooses to spend her deposable income (if your lucky to have any left after paying for the babysitter, ballet tuition, and swimming lessons) at the Container Store. She buys new baskets and bins for the toys littering the floor, instead of spending it on one tube of lipstick and an eyeliner pencil at Neiman’s that she will rarely get to use.
She watches the perky Rachel Ray on 30 Minutes Meals for ideas to make quick and easy dinners to serve her picky eaters. She also has the local pizza shop on speed dial.
She digitally records her favorite soaps to watch during nap time so her preschooler can watch The Wonder Pets and Dora the Explorer with his bowl of Cheerios and a juice box.
She lists her pre-pregnancy clothes on ebay to pay for her manicures and pedicures. She is not diluted enough to believe that she will ever be a size four jeans ever again as she sneaks a package of her child’s favorite fruit chewies.

A Modern Mother is all of these things and more. She is present in her children’s lives without forgetting that she has one of her own. She is fun. She is cool. She is who she is and her family loves her for it. I am proud to say that, yes, I am a Modern Mother.

Previous Posts:

My Friend At Target
Reruns & Action Figures
Pajama Time
Organizational Issues
Summer Freedoms
Excitement About the Small Things
The Lies We Parents Tell
Birthdays to Remember
Can You Hang Tinsel On A Recycling Bin?
Time Out For Dummies
I'm A June Clever Wannabe

To read more from Stephenie, visit her site!

Mama Wants More
A column for today's mother who has it all and still wants more because you're a mother, a wife, a citizen, a consumer. You're unappreciated, underpaid, and over qualified for wiping bottoms & cleaning toilets. But this was your dream. This is what you always wanted. you love your life, but you still want more . Me too.