Jude AgbayaniAs a mom, I have encountered and made friends with moms in different shapes, sizes and forms. These were the souls I met in church, in a seminar or conference, in school or kids’ extra-curricular activities. Added to the list are old high school/college friends who have embraced motherhood too.
I look at myself and my mom-friends and I’ve concluded that there is no poster-child for what an ideal mom looks like. We all have our own unique personalities and parenting styles that make us the best mom for our kids. Though I look up to other moms whom I think are the epitome of a “perfect” mom but then I realized they aren’t perfect. Like me, they are a work in progress. We all have our flaws, our temperaments and inconsistencies but that doesn’t make us any less of a mom.
Today, let’s have some fun 🙂 I have made up a category of moms based on my own friendships and then some. This is not to put down or criticize these mom-friends of mine, I love them all. See if you fit in any of the following categories.
Martha Stewart Mom. She embodies the perfect homemaker. She bakes her own bread. She sews her own curtains and pillowcases. She harvests tomatoes and herbs in her garden. She is the domestic goddess of her abode. If you are domestically-challenged, she can give a tip or two. She is the ultimate SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) and loving it.
Executive Mom. She rose to the corporate ladder because she is good at what she does. She has gained the respect of her male peers. She can run comfortably in her stilettos while speaking to a client on her smart phone. She demands respect and attention. She has a competitive energy that she instills in her children. Her schedule is full but finds time to kick-off her shoes with her mom-friends.
Stage Mom. These moms were star players in high school. They were given the lead roles in almost all their school plays. They are the multi-talented moms. Unknowingly, this mom passes on the baton to her kids. She pushes them to be stars too her like. Her schedule is full as she drives her kids’ to their ballet classes, piano, swimming, taekwondo and even language classes. She runs a tight shift so her friends need to schedule in advance just to have coffee with her.
Frugal/Organic Mom. These moms are what I call tree-huggers. They protect the Earth in any way they can. They purchase organic vegetables in the weekend markets. They support local farmers by regularly ordering their produce. They practice the 3Rs at home. The Organic Mom takes food preparation seriously and makes sure that her family only consumes the healthiest food with minimal or no synthetic ingredient at all. Her friends are encouraged by her healthy lifestyle.
Kristie Brinkley Mom. (Have you seen Kristie Brinkley lately? She looks fabulous at 60 and confident in a swimsuit as she graced the cover of a men’s magazine.) The KB mom-friend is 40 or older but she looks like a senior in high school. She probably got married in her teens and at 40 she has adult children. She will not stand out in a family picture because she looks as young as her children. She retained her physique all these years and you wonder if she’s getting old at all. She is loyal to her husband and adores her children.
Elle Mom. This is the fashionista mom. She is adorned with designer clothes, bags and shoes everyday. And she wears them confidently and with poise. She may look intimidating with all her branded clothing but she is a cowboy at heart. She is updated on the latest trend in fashion and would inform you of upcoming sales on her favorite clothing brands. She can be a fashion consultant for the fashionably-challenged.
Brainy Mom. I barely hear her speak Filipino. She is so fluent in English your ears would bleed just hearing her speak. She is a guru at something. She may be a writer by profession or a computer geek. At times, she may speak Greek to her other moms and Google her every highfalutin or technical terminology. She appears aloof and indifferent at times because she is buried in her books or laptop. But she is helpful to her mom-friends who have a love-hate relationship with the computer. She is patient and loves to teach.
Cross-Bearing Mom. After a minute of conversation with this mom, you will surely feel depressed. She would rant about her so-called life. She complains about her husband, her children, her mother-in-law and almost everything in the universe. She complains about not having enough to go the stylist or buy a good-fitting bra. Ultimately, she is just exhausted. She needs a break from the home. Her friends have to make time for her as she needs encouragement, prayer and reassurance once in a while.
The Bubbly Mom. I have met some of these moms lately and they really are hilarious to be with. They don’t care about their weight or how they look. They have gained pounds after giving birth and found it difficult to get back to their old figure. They make fun of themselves too at times. They find humor in almost everything. If not fooling around and being a stand-up comic, these moms can give sound advice when solicited. There is serious side to her and that’s mothering her kids.
Whatever kind of mom we are, God has given all of us our unique personalities that allowed us to parent our children. God used our circumstances, whether good or bad, to mold our characters and make us the best moms for our kids.
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:29-30
Did you find yourself in the list? What kind of mom-friend are you? If you could add more to the list, how would you describe your mom-friend? Indulge me in the comments section.
