You are a Super Mom

I went to Walmart last week with my daughter when I ran into an old park friend who had moved away. I hadn’t seen her in almost two years, and it was so nice to catch up. The last time she had seen me, my daughter was only a couple of weeks old. Now that tiny baby was a full toddler, chatting and walking beside me.

She asked about my husband and whether he was still studying. Her question immediately brought me back to those years when he was in grad school, I was pregnant with our second child, and life felt especially full. Then she looked at me and said, “You are a super mom. You did it.”

It was such a small moment in an ordinary day, but her words have stayed with me.

I am a super mom.

And the truth is, I didn’t realize how well I was doing back then. I probably don’t always realize how well I’m doing now, either.

I think many of us have a habit of minimizing ourselves and overlooking our own strength.

If you had asked me how I was doing during that season of pregnancy while parenting a strong-willed toddler, I probably would have said I was just surviving. There were days I was exhausted and my son watched Cars on repeat so I could simply manage my pregnancy symptoms. The mom guilt crept in as I wondered if he was missing out on a mom who could do more.

My husband was working full-time while taking grad school classes at night. Evenings and weekends were often filled with homework, papers, and deadlines. I remember being at the park alone, watching other families where the dad seemed more present. I wanted help. I wanted companionship. I wanted our family to feel less stretched thin. It was a lonely and exhausting season.

But time has a way of changing perspective.

Now I can look back and see that the mom lying on the couch while her son watched Cars was not failing. She was doing everything she could. My son was not deprived of love. His needs were met. He was cared for, safe, and deeply loved throughout my daughter’s pregnancy.

That simple affirmation from an old park friend reminded me of a few things.

We need to get better at recognizing our own strengths and celebrating them. Small wins are still wins. Mac and cheese on the table is still dinner, even if it isn’t the healthiest dinner option. Showing up tired still counts. Loving your family in imperfect ways still counts.

We also need to celebrate the strengths of others. Too often, comparison causes us to diminish ourselves and pull away from people who could become community. The belief that we are not enough never leads anywhere good.

Healthy communities are built when we can do both: recognize our own wins and genuinely celebrate the wins of others. That combination creates friendships that support, strengthen, and encourage.As I’ve reflected on this, I’ve realized there have been gaps in my own social circle because I was afraid of not being good enough and was afraid to reach out. It was a subtle form of self-sabotage. If I assumed I wouldn’t be accepted because something was lacking in me, I often didn’t even try.

So here I am, learning to receive the kindness of an old park friend.

Yes, I am a super mom.

Even on the hard days. Even in the ordinary moments. Even when it doesn’t feel like it.