the modern mom: who is she?

Posted by Lee in Featured Articles on 04 5th, 2010 | 52 responses

As the idea for this site evolved, I had a lot of conversations with women about what it means to be a “modern mom.” The answers varied but one theme emerged – the “modern mom” is distinctly different than previous generations of mothers.

Call it a result of the first wave of feminism, or attribute it to the subsequent backlash to the movement, but the consensus is that modern moms want more for our families, more for our children, and more for ourselves.

But exactly how that “more” plays out in our daily lives is as diverse as the children we are raising.

The State of the Mom does not claim to represent one kind of modern mom. What we do claim is that the modern mother is vibrant, inspired, diverse and evolving and it is our hope that the stories told here are all of our stories.

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The modern mom is an entirely new and unique being.

She desires to reinvent herself over and over again to make the most out of her life and the life of her family. She is ambitious and driven both at home and in the workplace. She is stressed and over-tired battling the jam-packed schedules of her family.

She is loyal and devoted to providing the best in her home and at the same time is overwhelmed by the to-do lists she makes to help her achieve it.

She lives in big urban centers and in small Midwestern towns. She loves nature. She digs bright lights.

Her heart beats with a love and passion for creativity and innovation. She desires stability and comfort.

She throws caution to the wind. She never takes risks.

She loves fashion and she hasn’t bought herself a new piece of clothing in ages.

She is traditional and religious. She is faithful and progressive. She fears change. She embraces the new.

She has a thirst for knowledge and craves new experiences for her children. Travel makes her heart beat faster. The globe is within her grasp.

She is simple. She is worldly. She is connected.

She seeks inspiration in the extraordinary. Her soul is fed in the ordinary.

She wants financial freedom. She clips coupons. She is a savvy shopper. She saves money. She spends money.

She works for a company. She works for her family. She works for herself.

She is attracted to new ideas. Her mind races for answers and validation. She has faced adversity. She has prevailed. She has questioned everything. She is content.

She is diverse. She is strong. She feels weak. She is versatile. She is unpredictable. Her life is a routine. She is spontaneous.

She tucks her children in at night after a day of laundry and grocery-shopping. She races home through rush hour traffic to find her kids already asleep.

She has it all.

She wants it all.

The state of the mom is ever-changing.

We’re telling the story.

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Photographs Provided By:

Mishelle Lane of Secret Agent Mama

Laura Phelps of Piece of Cake

Stephanie Precourt of Adventures in Babywearing

Carrie Pauly of 4 the Love of Family

Heather King of The Extraordinary Ordinary

Shannon aka Mr. Lady of Whiskey in My Sippy Cup