Do you Suffer From 'Supermom Syndrome?'

Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents, caregivers and other members of the community are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting topics.

This week’s Moms Talk question relates to Supermom Syndrome.

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working mom or something in between, if the word "mom" is somewhere in your job title, odds are you are juggling at least three things at once from the time you open your eyes in the morning until your head hits the pillow at night. And, odds are, when your head hits that pillow, you are probably chastising yourself about how you could have handled at last one of those many balls you had in the air a little bit better. You could have been a little kinder to your daughter when she filled your purse with milk. A little better planning and your kids wouldn’t have had cereal for dinner. Again. You know the drill. And, while every mom knows that no one is perfect and that we need to cut ourselves some slack, those mantras are much easier to chant (and teach our children) than they are to actually live by. Yet, a recent study indicates that we had better try much harder to practice what we preach, as it seems that those of us who bought into the recently named affliction of Supermom Syndrome in our younger years are actually at higher risk of depression when we reach our 40s, than those who had a more realistic view of the world.

So, here’s what we want to know:

Do you suffer from Supermom Syndrome? And, what’s more, do you wish you didn’t? If you don't, what advice can you give those moms who do?

Our Moms Council members include: 

• Lisa Amey of Upper Milford Township is a stay-at-home mom to an 8-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. A past president of the MOMS Club of Emmaus and longtime member of MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers), Lisa is an Independent Consultant for Arbonne International. 
• Lisa Drew of Emmaus is a certified nutritionist and personal trainer, wellness and fitness coach with more than 17 years of experience. She is the mother of a 13-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy.
• Jennifer Elston of Emmaus has almost two decades of professional experience in child development and counseling. She is currently a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful girls. Together with her husband, Chris, she owns Christopher Elston Photography.
• Jeanne Lombardo of Nazareth is the mother of a 10-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. She’s new to the Lehigh Valley, having moved to Nazareth from Bergen County, NJ in January.
• Lisa Merk of Lower Macungie is a stay-at-home mother of four boys – a 12-year-old and 6-year-old triplets. Lisa is a past president of the MOMS Club of Lower Macungie East. In her “spare” time, Lisa teaches piano to school-age children.
• Zoila Bonilla Paul of Bethlehem is a stay-at-home mom to two girls – a 5-year-old and a 14-month-old. Zoila is a member of her local “moms’ club” and says she is “well-versed in the fun that children can bring.”
• Beth Sharpless of Emmaus works part time in a local emergency department as a nurse and part time from home as a customer support specialist. She has two children -- a boy who is almost 2 and a 5-year-old girl. She says they love spending time outdoors and dancing.

If you would like to become a part of the Moms Council and/or have ideas for future Moms Talk questions, please email jennifer.marangos@patch.com.