It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s Mom!: How Mothers Are Like Superheroes

By Tara Clark

In my role as a parenting content creator, speaker, and podcaster who also happens to be a mom herself, I get the privilege of meeting mothers from all walks of life. Whether interviewing authors, therapists or other experts for my podcast, or creating relatable parenting content for my social media platforms, I see real moms in action every day. What I have learned from nearly 10 years in the parenting space is this: Moms are the closest thing in the world to real superheroes. So with Mother’s Day upon us, let’s have a little fun reflecting on these often unsung heroes in our lives, who do superhuman deeds without the need for a cape and mask (but maybe the occasional nap).

Fact: Moms have a sixth sense. A mom can sense something is wrong from a mile away, whether it’s a young child getting into trouble (hmmm, does it seem a little too quiet in here?) or a teen feeling down. Even if mom doesn’t always know the right thing to say, she knows that her support will go a long way.  Moms can tell when we’re not feeling well, when we’re trying to hide something, or when something is about to fall off the counter. They always have a sixth sense when it comes to our wellbeing and safety, like the Mom Spidey sense.

Fact: Moms show up. From the moment we are born, our moms are there providing endless amounts of love, care, and protection. They are the ones who show up no matter what, no matter how busy or sick or tired they may be. They make sure we’re fed, clothed, and safe. They build us up when we feel down, and they are always there to lend an ear when we need someone to talk to. Even when they may not be able to solve our problems, they find a way to show us their support. Like Batman seeing the Bat Signal, moms show up.

Fact: Moms dig in and fight the good fight. They can juggle cooking dinner, helping with homework, and answering a work call all at the same time. It’s no wonder that moms are often the ones who seem to hold everything together in a household. But even the Avengers work as a team to tackle the mental load, whether it’s fighting villains or cleaning up the headquarters. So, remember, it is important to lighten mom’s load when possible. Even superheroes have their limits.

There are so many other superpowers that come with the mom life.

• Able to fix most ouchies with a hug or a kiss? Yes, moms can do that.
• Able to get the kids to school on 3 hours of sleep and 2 cups of coffee? For sure. They can be up all night with a sick child, and still manage to get up in the morning and keep the whole train on the tracks. And a lot of times the coffee isn’t even still hot!
• Able to carry a 40-pound, tired kiddo long distances while pushing a baby in the stroller? You bet they have the strength and endurance to do that. All that carrying means some Hulk-like arm muscles.
• Able to diffuse any situation with a laugh and a smile? Moms know how to see the joy and comedy in many of life’s stresses. From silly games to inside jokes, moms have a sense of humor that is contagious.

But as we get closer to Mother’s Day, let’s remember the most amazing thing about our moms is their unwavering and selfless love and support. They are always there for us. They cheer us on when we triumph and pick us up when we fall. They are our biggest fans and our strongest allies. They are the superheroes we can always rely on and for this reason, they deserve our love, support, and gratitude.

Finally, as superhuman as moms may be, keep in mind that Superman retreated to the Fortress of Solitude to recharge his batteries. Bruce Wayne escaped to the Batcave to have some time to himself. So this month (and always), help the moms in your life by sharing some of their load and freeing them up to escape to their own Fortress of Solitude, even if that means they are just sitting in the car in the driveway for a few minutes.

Tara Clark is an author, speaker, content creator, podcaster, and the founder of Modern Mom Probs. After becoming a mom and recognizing a hole in the online space for moms to authentically connect, she launched her Instagram account in 2017. She has since built a valued community, solidifying herself as a humorous, trusted voice in the parenting space.

Tara is the host of the Modern Mom Probs podcast where she seeks to find solutions for modern mom problems by interviewing medical experts, therapists, popular content creators and authors, including New York Times best-selling authors Dr. Shefali and Eve Rodsky.