A Modern Mom Quiz: Are You An Empowered Mother?

What does an empowered mother look like these days? Is it the mom who starts her own business? Is it the mother who spends quality time with her kids and snags the VP promotion? Or is it the mom who says no to a five-day workweek and negotiates the clever job share solution?

It’s all, some, or none of the above. The modern empowered mother is the one who lives according to her personal values. The woman who listens to herself, is clear on what she wants, and makes it happen. What that clarity, integrity and power creates is unique to each woman.

Take a moment now to assess your level of empowerment with our Empowered Mother quiz.

Answer Yes or No for the following statements:

1. I take real time for myself every week.             

Yes No

2. I am comfortable saying no.

Yes No

3. I’m clear about who I want to be as a mother.

Yes No

4. I can name my top 5 values as a woman and mother.

Yes No

5. I know what’s non-negotiable in my life and don’t negotiate.

Yes No

6. I feel free to do things my way.

Yes No

7. I bring all of who I am to my children.

Yes No

For every yes, give yourself 5 points! Add up your score and jump to the next page to see how you did.

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0    You need some support, inspiration and challenge today!

5-10     Good start, but remember that taking care of yourself has everything to do with being a good mother.

15-25    To heck with half measures – what would be possible for your life if you had a perfect score?

30    You are almost fully empowered – tackle that missing piece.

35    You are the new role model for an EMPOWERED MOTHER!

So, how did you do? What was your score? Taking the quiz is meant to be fun and get you thinking. No one can truly judge if you are or aren’t an empowered mother, but taking a look at where you can grow is always worthwhile.

Here are more details on each of the seven statements. This information can help you find where you want to stretch:

1. I take real time for myself every week. This statement is about whether you are empowered to make sure you are on the list, that you matter. The timeframe – whether it’s daily, weekly or something in between isn’t as important as whether you value yourself enough to take time to be with yourself. To do the thing or create the space that brings out your best, that grounds you, connects you and makes you more you. What Me Time means is different for every mother – it might be exercise for one, journaling for another, painting, cooking a gourmet meal, walking barefoot in the rain, or sinking up to your neck in the bath with a novel. The empowerment comes from treating yourself as well as you treat your most precious loved ones.

2. I am comfortable saying no. This one is about the power of saying no, of creating the boundaries necessary to bring out your best. It’s about being able to say no with conviction and confidence. Especially when it really counts. The “NO” that allows you to stay true to your values. The “NO” that creates the time, space and energy to live the life that is right for you. And the “NO” that helps you prioritize what matters to you and your family.

3. I’m clear about who I want to be as a mother. This statement highlights the importance of self-reflection. About knowing who you are and who you want to become. What’s beautiful is that who you want to be as a mother is unique to you – it’s part of your journey and growth as a woman. It’s like your own beautiful pattern. But you need to be clear – you need to spend some time stepping back, reviewing and then looking ahead. Being an empowered mother is about being proactive and acting with purpose. Not about going through the motions and living by default.

4. I can name my top five values as a woman and mother. An empowered mother absolutely knows her values – those qualities of being that really matter to you, make you feel fully alive and guide your choices and actions. One mother’s values included growth, honesty, soul expression, personal space and connection. Another listed communication, community, passion, change and leadership. And one mom’s values are contribution, humor, warmth, balance and sense of awe. What are yours?

5. I know what’s non-negotiable in my life and don’t negotiate. This is quintessential empowered mother-ness. It’s a firm knowledge of what you need to have for yourself, your kids, your relationships, your career, etc. It’s also making sure that you don’t apologize for your priorities. What’s your non-negotiable? A certain amount of time with your kids? Daily meditation? A monthly date night with your husband? Help with the dishes? You decide what’s important and ensure that it is the foundation for your life.

6. I feel free to do things my way. This is about freedom. An empowered mother is interested in learning from others but she also feels free to do things her way. You think enough of yourself to make your own rules. Like the mom who figured out a way to cook only one night a week. The mother who created a new school for her kids. Or the mom who trades the breadwinner role with her husband, year by year. Making your own rules takes insight, energy and commitment. It’s worth it.

7. Finally, I bring all of who I am to my children. This is a statement and also the goal of being an empowered mother. It’s about you, but in the end the gift is to your children. They get to experience all of who you are, to drink that in, to grow and become everything they can be, because you showed them the way.

Amy Kovarick is a life coach, author and radio show host. For more from Amy, check out her site: www.empoweredmotherhood.com