Redefining Superwoman
Things I learned from being the daughter of a Senior Executive mom
I’m writing for a feminist website that caters to female senior executives. My new assignment is:
“Portraying Top Business Women as Superwoman is a Disservice to Us All”
This writing gig is not easy because I am the daughter of a senior exec. mom. I watched my mom go from driving and Olds Mobile to driving a brand new BMW off the lot. Walmart turned into Lord and Taylor and the weekends, road trips to DC turned into Paris twice a year, and she bought or built a new house every three years.
You had to respect her. She was strong, and her material possessions showed she was capable and powerful…but she was never really around. And when she was we shopped, and didn’t really talk.
I was weird, and getting weirder as I discovered Riot Grrrl punk, Nirvana, alcohol and skater boyfriends. She was very elegant, and though I partook in the shopping and indulging in the material possessions, I began to think about my brother’s and my future.
So, I got a job at 15 dishwashing and enrolled myself in college at 16. I became very domestic and moved in with a steady boyfriend by 17.
Nonetheless, over time, I discovered my passion for music and music business, and stayed on the road for about 8 years building my career. I worked hard at now that I am in my late 20's I’m beginning to look in the mirror. Am I so different from my mother? I don’t live so extravagantly, and I did not have children, but am I available?
My new writing job forces me to really take a look how I’m maintaining my career and my free time. I have tried to stay aware as I could over time, and there are some things I plan to do a little differently from my mother who has been a business mentor of mine since I can remember:
-Buy real estate, don’t build brand new. Invest in a stable house that will last.
- Start a college fund: I’ve been paying for college on my own since I was 16, it’s the only debt I have.
- Drink (socially): Being sober and having no vice to unwind keeps you on edge.
-Communicate: Call you friends and family and tell them what you’re up to…and that you love them regularly.
-Attend: show up to events. Your presence is important.
This is not to say my mom did not do a good job at raising us. My mothers and I are responsible adults, and we live our lives with passion and intent. I just feel, I would like to provide a couple of things for my future family. I learned that it was best for me to work on my career before I had children and to also give more time to my friends and family.
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