Batman. Superman. Iron Man. Captain Marvel. Wolverine. Spider-Man. Flash Gordon. The Green Hornet. The Hulk. Hercules. Captain America. Mr. Incredible. Mighty Man. DADDY.
Urban Dictionary (a favorite of ours) defines a superhero as “one who is super, and does super things; a person who is looked up to, fights crime and looks good in tights (the latter is not a must).” We are not judging…if you like your guy in tights…enjoy. But we are wondering how you feel when, after a day of cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, homework, carpooling, negotiating and refereeing, “Daaaaady” comes home and appears to be larger than life. The kids who were cranky, just minutes ago, are now euphoric. Suddenly, their eye rolling has become a wide-eyed look of wonder. Their whining is now a shout of glee. They are suddenly star-struck, as though in just walked a superhero, sans mask and cape.
Admittedly, being a mother is not for the faint of heart. We are not in it for the praise or accolades. We cannot say the hours are great or we get enough time off. It is not about the money because even though the benefits can be fabulous, the pay is lousy. And furthermore, it seems as though we do the lion’s share of the “work” but our “paycheck” goes to their fathers. And while it is wonderful that our children feel the way they do about their fathers, that they see them as heroes, and we in no way want to diminish the beauty of their relationship, we do, on occasion, want to say: “What the f***?”
Granted, it is not easy to be the good guy when you are disciplining, care-taking and supervising. It is challenging to keep smiling after you have repeated yourself countless times. It is difficult to be playful when you are played out. It is nearly impossible to look shiny and pretty with Play-Doh in your hair and cake batter on your clothes. But when our children look at us, what do they see?
What do you think they see? If you quiet the noise and still the moment, what do you think they see? When you make them feel safe and secure, what do you think they see? When you hug them tight or kiss them goodnight, what do you think they see? When you cheer for them when they are up or comfort them when they are down, what do you think they see? When you support them, advocate for them, protect them and cherish them, what do you think they see? When they feel your abounding, immeasurable and unconditional love, what do you think they see? Elektra, Storm, Catwoman, Raven, Rogue, Sheena, Xena or Wonder Woman? No, we don’t need tights because what they see is a real life superhero…MOMMY.
Urban Dictionary
Mommy
Someone who is always forgiving. Someone in which whom you know that you can always rely on. Mommy will always come back, and Mommy will never leave for long. A mommy always wants the best for their child, and will always put a child first in any circumstance. A mommy is a child’s best friend. A mommy is an extraordinary person. It is a tough job to be a mommy, a job that only a mommy could ever handle. You can never break the bond between a child and a mommy, and a mommy can never be replaced. Mommy is another word for love.
Example:
I love my mommy and nothing, and nobody will ever change that.
