“The toughest job you’ll ever love…”

The end to another wonderful Mother’s Day is upon me. This was my 27th Mother’s Day. Each one has been wonderful, each very different. As I took the drive to celebrate with family, I couldn’t help but think of all my memories of my journey through motherhood. What did I know, as a girl in my very early 20s, about being a Mom? What did I expect? Would I be a classic June Cleaver mom or would I be more of a Roseanne Connor-esq matriarch? Truth be told I was/am probably a little of both. But motherhood is a tough job. Is it a position most of us would have applied for had we seen it advertised? How could you effectively advertise for this all consuming role? My guess is you would need to call in the top marketing/advertising folks money could buy in order to give a clear picture of the expectations, responsibilities, ups, downs and salary range. Much creativity would be needed as well as a healthy dose candor. Thinking about how corporate America advertises, I’m struck with the realization that many product taglines or catch phrases could easily be tweaked to be an ad for motherhood. By changing the product or service to “Motherhood or Mom”… you’ll see what I mean. So come along and play…

• Motherhood, It’s the Real Thing (Coke)
• Mom’s, Building Strong Bodies, 12 ways (Wonder Bread)
• Leave the Driving to Us (Greyhound)
• We’ll leave the light on… (Motel 6)
• Just Do It! (Nike)
• Motherhood, The Greatest Show on Earth (Ringling Bro/Barnum & Bialy Circus)
• Be all you can be… (Army)
• You’re in Good Hands… (Allstate)
• We do the work, so you don’t have to… (Scrubbing Bubbles)

I could go on and on with this. All of these on their own could work and all of them together would fit the bill. But you would still need more, much more!

Moms can be Dads. But Dads cannot be Moms without at some point, a female. While science has made unbelievable strides in assisting in the creation of life, they still have not created anything to eliminate the womb. What happens before or after the womb can be managed, handled, attempted and failed by any gender. It is the pure heart, openness to change, ability to set all aside for your child, willingness to laugh with and at yourself, courage to dream and the passion to embrace lunacy that is vital. Must work endless, sleep deprived hours for little or no monetary gain while managing a household, holding down a paying job, scheduling appointments, meeting with teachers, taking the dog to the vet and still keeping other relationships alive. You’ll need an active imagination, the ability to slay dragons, the diplomacy to pick your battles and the negotiating skills of the toughest world leaders. Wimps need not apply.

There is so much more involved in the job description. The pay is terrible. But the bonus structure is amazing and potentially, if you do it right, never-ending. If successful, even in the smallest ways, you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams.

Thank you to K & P for making me the wealthiest woman in the world. Thank you Jim, for make K & P with me. Congratulations to all my family and friends who are just beginning this amazing journey as new parents of; Liam, Reese, Benjamin George, D-Max, Abby, Emerson, Lia, Khloe and one great nephew due very soon. (sorry if I have left anyone out)

I (heart) Motherhood! (New York)