The fountain of all knowledge, my good friend, Google, advises that a superhuman is “having or showing exceptional ability or powers”.
For me, having exceptional ability or powers is a case of doing something (or many things) that a ‘typical’ person may not be able to do. I class myself and many people I know as typical people: We have a 9am-5pm job, eat three meals a day, cook and clean (when we have to), go to the gym, spend time with friends and family and then sleep for a minimum of eight hours since our “jam-packed” schedule is more than enough to tire us out. I believe many other women and men out there fit into the same ‘typical person’ category as me.
I got sent this dedication to mums on social media this week and although I am not a mother, the words made me think about my cousin who had a baby boy six months ago and has probably slept about 4-hours since the birth. I have no idea how she manages to survive on such little sleep or how any mother manages it, in fact. In my opinion and in reality, it seems, the job of being a mother is incessant and seriously hard! In essence, a mum is a general all-rounder with many never-ending responsibilities: she’s a cook, a maid, a teacher, a nanny, a driver, a handyman, a bodyguard, a photographer, a counsellor, a comforter and a bank. She doesn’t exactly get paid for these relentless jobs; I’m not sure how much hugs and kisses can be classed as payment!
I saw my cousin over the weekend and although she looked really tired, she didn’t complain once. As the dedication portrays, as a mother she is:
– on call 24-hours a day – being awake when the baby is awake and needs her, which appears to be day and night
– a cook – the baby is on solids and is lovingly fed organic vegetables which my cousin prepares!
– a photographer – her phone is full of cute baby photos to the point of having no memory left
– a nurse – looking after the baby when he’s sick
– a maid – washing and drying all of the clothes the baby wears (and soils) every day and cleaning up after he has played with his toys.
– a teacher – teaching the baby about the world and helping him to grow<//br>
– a driver – taxiing the baby around the country to visit family and friends<//br>
– a bodyguard – protecting him non-organic vegetables and the ‘bad’ things in the world
– a comforter – hugging him and soothing him when he cries
– an ATM – paying for the thousands of nappies he uses, for example
The title ponders the question: Are mums superhuman? It seems from the massive list of jobs they have to undertake, they truly are. They are exceptional people with a very busy schedule, managing to fit in all of these jobs on little or no sleep. Mums deserve a lot of appreciation – I don’t think hugs and kisses are enough. If you agree with me and would like to treat a mother you know for the tough job she does, then take a peek at some mothers day gifts?