Mother's Day - Mom's Roles Aren't Traditional Anymore

Mother's day has always romanticized the feminine side of raising children. In the olden days the mother always stayed at home raising the children. Now there some new ways to look at being a mom.

When thinking about what to write for Mother's Day, it occurred to me that motherhood takes many forms, and that there's really no strict category for who is a mom - especially these days. Though typically thought of as being female, moms don't even have to be in a gender category.

Biological mom - a biological mother may never even play a part in the upbringing of her off spring. Why? Well, she may be a surrogate mother who has shared or sold her ability to reproduce.

Then there are the moms who accidentally got pregnant; didn't believe in abortion, and simply gave the baby to a childless, infertile couple. The non- biological mom will be the only one the child ever knows in most cases.

Stepmothers - a mom who inherits child-rearing duties through a blended family arrangement, or by simply marrying someone who had custody of his children. Unfortunately, step moms have been caste with an evil imagery ever since the folklore stories of Cinderella.

In my case, I subconsciously bought into this imagery. I realized it at the end of raising my stepson to adulthood. Standing in front of the closet, one day, I observed an entire wardrobe consisting of either black or gray. Pondering momentarily where I thought I would go with these drab colors - perhaps a funeral, or would it be the gathering of a witch coven? In the case of the latter, what broom would I be using?

Gay couples rearing children

I once met two gay women, who were in a committed relationship and raising a daughter. Which one was the mom? No one was offended by my curiosity, although I had a pretty good idea, which was who in this arrangement. One had a more typically feminine outward appearance, and vice versa for the other.

When I asked how they got inseminated, they told me about a gay male friend who was kindly enough to share his sperm. The couple and the friend arranged a quick transfer during a friendly get together. The two women said they had rushed home with the sperm in an olive jar.

Grandmothers rearing grandkids

On this day, the grandmamma should get extra mother's day greetings. When for some reason or another, the kids end up in the grandmother's care, she is the functioning mother - right?

A Greeting For All

This could be the next politically incorrect issue to face. Just to be safe, I'm going to say Happy Mother's Day to everyone I see that day. When it comes right down to it, we all have the ability to nurture. And we probably all have been grateful recipients of nurturing in a variety of circumstances. I can think of many. Happy Mother's Day!