Working Wives & Bachelorettes: Are You Woman Enough?

We have all seen, heard, read, droned on about last month's Time article, "Are you mom enough?" The image has been plastered all over the media. Spoofed on SNL and facebook. Truth be told...I haven't read it. The headline was a turnoff though the imagery was quite thought provoking. I will admit, I've read, digested and wholeheartedly loved the rebuttals!

The whole idea got me thinking. Who had the bright idea of questioning the validity of a woman? We do it all. Let me say that again, WE DO IT EFFING ALL! All while standing on our heads, walking backwards in heels holding a child, making a phone call and planning the next meal or meeting. You would never see a headline asking a man if he were dad or man enough. At least not in the same "are you second guessing yourself because if not you should be" sort of tone.

It infuriates me. Every day, I feel mediocre at best. At any point in time, I never feel as though I'm giving 100% to any aspect of my life. If I'm working my tail off on a project at work, my kids are being ignored and babysat by the 50" Samsung. If my kids require a bit more attention (read: summer break), I cannot possibly give my undivided attention to work. Never mind my husband. He's left to his own devices most of the time. And forget about all the other small, annoying time sucks-- the meals, the mail, the bills, the dishes, the laundry (I'm convinced there are several invisible people who live in my house and use our dishes and wear our clothes--four people cannot possibly create that many dirty dishes or soiled undies).

I know I will never be CEO or even vice president of a company. And I will never sit on the PTO or be homeroom mom. I don't serve four-course meals each night at dinner. I don't do my hair everyday. Rarely wear make-up. Don't get to work out nearly as much as I want to or should. While I give 100% all day, everyday, there are too many factors that divide that percentage into smaller portions of my pie, so each section of my life some days only gets a sliver!

I will settle for keeping everything moderately functional. I wont' get awards at work. I won't be my sons' teachers most involved parent. I won't be the hottest woman on the beach (sorry, babe. You can always gawk at the younger, firmer women). But that is OK. As long as my work is satisfied, my children are happy and I'm not driving the man of my dreams completely insane, I would categorize myself as a success! I give myself permission to be less than perfect. Society won't allow me that. The expectations keep getting higher and the to-do list just keeps growing.

So cheers to you. The mediocre, the just-get-by, the good-enough, average, ordinary, not the most productive or patient or forgiving or involved, best damn you you can be!

We are doing it all. And, might I say, brilliantly!