How Motherhood Has Given Me Superpowers 

Comparing motherhood to an act of heroism is indeed very cliché. But as another Mother’s Day approaches, it makes me ponder how becoming a mother has transformed me. Do you also sense that many things have shifted in your way of thinking and behaving? Yes, after the baby is born, it’s akin to the transformation scene from the movie “Spider-Man,” where Peter Parker realizes he gets his power. Remember? He doesn’t need his reading glasses anymore and gains an incredible biceps. Keep reading to discover if, like me, you’ve acquired new superpowers since becoming a mother.

Invisibility I

That’s for sure the motherhood superpowers number 1. From the moment the world knew I was pregnant, I ceased to exist as a woman and became invisible. Suddenly, people I had never met in my life thought it would be all right to pat my tummy, without asking for permission. Even my closest friends only asked me about the baby.

Invisibility II

When my daughter was born, I kept being invisible to the world, with only a few exceptions. For example, one friend came to visit bringing a present for my daughter, and one for myself. How thankful I was to hear her say what I had felt so many times but didn’t dare to say out loud; that nobody thinks about the mothers.

Cyborg

This one is a big cliché, I know. But as soon as I heard the first little sound coming out of my daughter’s mouth before I had even seen her, I understood what it meant to have one’s heart beating outside oneself.

Super feelings

I’d felt love before motherhood, of course. But the love of a mother is something so overwhelming that all I had felt before seemed now feeble compared. Sorry, my loved ones.

License to be rude (and kill, if needed)

As a new mother, I automatically got (from myself) a license to be rude. Suddenly, I was telling people off and saying no without feeling bad about it. Stranger wanting to pinch my baby’s cheeks? Move away, lady! Woman asking to hold my baby? No way, Jose.

2.0

Becoming a mother has made me want to become a better version of myself. Like any other mother, I wish my daughter the best in life. And that includes having a good human being as a parent. This doesn’t mean that I’ve improved much; just ask her, and she’ll tell you how annoying I am.

Super-empathy

Motherhood has made me see my own mother with new eyes. All I was experiencing; a lack of sleep and worries, but also unparalleled joy and love, she’d already gone through it all. And I could then understand what, at times, had felt somewhat suffocating.

Time travel

Being the mother of a teenager gives me the power to travel back in time. I can relive the excitement and the fun of being a teen every time I see her with friends, giggling and getting ready for a party, or when I listen to all about it the next day. But I must also relive the pain and difficulties that the teenage years can bring. In these moments, I wish I could make it all better with a kiss, like when she was a little girl. So, being a mother is a constant work in progress but certainly the most rewarding of all.

To all the Super-Moms and moms-to-be, I wish you a happy Mother’s Day!