YOU CAN DO ANYTHING NOT EVERYTHING

I just got back from Mom 2.0 Summit where the theme of the conference was "redefining motherhood." The conference was for bloggers and influencers who are moms and often trying to balance the role of mom and business woman. It was an amazing time for me, and it brought about a lot of thoughts about what messages I had growing up and what messages I'm telling my children now. 

My mom and the women of the Baby Boomer generation paved the way for us all when they got their degrees and climbed corporate ladders all while being moms. My mom was a great example. She has her bachelors, masters and doctorate, and was an associate dean of a college science and mathematics. What a legacy she has left for me and other women. She truly showed me you can do anything. 

But in her 30's, the corporate world was still rigid about working 9am to 5pm, so having a choice to flex your hours, work from home, etc. didn't exist yet. I only got to see my mom between the hours of 6pm and 8pm and 6am and 8am during the week. It was really hard for her, but she didn't want to be JUST a mom, and I respect that. 

Now, Millianials moms like me have more choices and flexibility. It's a special time for women and I think it's only getting better. In fact, there's still more that needs to be done in regards to wage equality and gender equality. However, this new movement of mom-preneurs (myself included) trying to work full-time AND be a mom-full time is sending a bad message to our daughters saying, "You can be anything and you can do everything." 

But, we can't! That's a total lie! I do not want my daughter to think she needs to live up to this super-woman expectation because she will fail, and I want to set her up for success. At this point, I feel like I'm failing all of the time - as a business woman and mom - because I find myself half-assing everything. I do NOT want my children to feel this way. 

So, what IS the message that I want to send to my daughter? What is the message that I feel my generation is responsible for reinforcing?

You can be anything, but know your limits and set boundaries. Don't be afraid to say no. Don't try to wear every hat. Just try to wear one at a time. You can wear one hat for half a day and one for the other half, but no one looks good wearing two hats at once.

I'd love to hear what you think Millennial's messages should be to young girls. Please share with me. 

Photos by Keira Grace Photography.