Mothers are NOT superheroes. They are Human.

Mothers. Oh, the sweet love of a present and loving Mother.

Besides birthing us, Mothers are generally the life force behind their child. They are loving, nurturing and fiercely protective. They wipe our first tears, drive us to our first jobs, tend to us when sick, and scream the loudest at our sports games. Our pain is theirs.

We see our Mothers as superheroes. Strong, reliable, and unbreakable. Never imagining that they could be flawed, or unable to cope with any of our needs, wants and demands. However true as this may seem or appear, the truth is, Mothers are not superheroes—they are human.

Glorifying the idea that Mothers are not mere mortals, and glamourising the unattainable expectations we hold Mothers to may be intended as a compliment, but it is actually a harmful and incredibly damaging social construct that reinforces the almost impossible standards Mothers are held to.

Which is why calling a Mother a superhero (as endearing in its intentions) is actually more hurtful than helpful. Because in doing so, we overlook all the very real, very human emotions they experience daily as a Mother. Mothers should be able to be human and feel normal human things, as well as mess up in ordinary human ways.

Another damaging notion of Mothers being considered superheroes, is that they are expected to know it all, do it all, fix it all and survive it all. Isn’t that what superheroes are known for?

In reality, a lot of Mothers are drowning, and are often juggling all of life’s pressures whilst neglecting their own self-care. But hey, here we are calling Mother’s superheroes, saying they can handle anything and everything and we even expect a smile on their face!

The danger in this is when Mothers are seen as so ‘capable’ it can be perceived by others that they don’t need help. So, there's no reason for their partner to be an equal member of the parenting team. Oh, no that is not needed. The "superhero" Mother has it all under control!

But let’s be honest. Mothering is difficult enough without making Mothers feel like they can't experience very real, human emotions or ask for help, or fail. The broad and limitless responsibilities a parent gives to another human being is one of great privilege, but also heavy enough without the added pressure of having it all under control just to stay true to a ‘superhero’ label.

Remember that those who we deem as ‘superhero’ Mums, are human too. So instead of bestowing them with a fanciful label, shower them with all the praise in the world. Show them empathy, gratitude, appreciation and most importantly - LOVE. Marvel at the way they seem to juggle it all, but then offer to help, too. They might not take it, and that’s ok.

A mother is so much more than some fictitious character we can read about in comics or watch in a movie theatre. She's real and we are here in this world because of her!