The Power of Mom
February 12, 2019
“You can tell Nancy Pelosi has 5 kids. She’s treating Trump like a toddler who is making unreasonable demands. Set calm, firm boundaries and give him a little time to consider his options.”
I thought about this for a bit, then asked, “Do you think she uses Mom Voice on him?”
Mom Voice, that razor-edged tone you use when kids are about to do something really dangerous and you need instant obedience. Used sparingly, it can save you from disaster.
Mom Voice can also modulate itself down through a range of urgencies to suit the circumstances.
I closed my eyes and considered the possibilities.
What if we got a really good Mom to run the world?
Someone who has been down in the trenches with toddlers and teenagers and helped them navigate the messiness.
Someone who explains the reason for boundaries and then enforces them kindly and firmly.
Someone who considers needs broadly, and brings everyone to the table.
Someone who juggles complicated logistics and still manages to appreciate everyone’s hard work.
Moms develop kickass traits in trying to fulfill the Mom job description. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that these same traits could be dynamite in larger institutions.
I have said before that people don’t appreciate the wisdom, organization, patience, compassion, intelligence, and strength it takes to be a good parent to small human beings.
I knew that, of course. I knew what it took for me to learn how to be a mother, and how much I had to step up my game to do the job well. I knew intellectually that motherhood demands a lot of a woman, and that those skills can be translated to the broader sphere.
I didn’t own that Mom Power, though, until just now. The power was under wraps, like the old iron hand in the velvet glove. Sometimes I spent so much time speaking softly that I forget I’m carrying a big stick.
What if we unwrapped Mom Power and let its light shine forth?
What if we stopped discounting motherhood and mothers?
What if experience as a mother was considered valuable?