Summary Of Don 'T Believe The Perfect Mother Myth' By Em Hunter

Traditionally speaking, a true mother caters to the needs of her children and husband. However, with the current stigmas that lie in this society, mothers are suddenly pressured to fit the picture of a perfect mom whose job is to only care for her family. The flaw in this logic lies in incapability of society to accept that once women become mothers they are carrying an extra burden to not only take care of themselves but to also raise their family. Society should respect and appreciate mothers every day, not just on Mother's Day. In the short article called “Don’t Believe the “Perfect Mother” Myth” by Em Hunter is shameful because Hunter is unhappy with the infinite guilt that mothers always feel. In addition, in the poem “DayStar” by Rita

Dove, Dove uses many rhetorical devices to draw the reader into the daily activities of a housewife who deals with diapers changing, lack of freedom, and constant exhaustion. Hunter and Dove narrate how mothers should behave, the commitment they deliver, and the acceptance of being a true mother. Therefore, society must be able to recognize the difficult job that mothers undertake everyday.
When reading “DayStar” by Rita Dove, I noticed how much devotion a mother dedicates for her child. By witnessing the energy that a mother allots to raising her children, I personally know that the job is mentally and physically draining. Sometimes, I cannot imagine how my mom be able to raise six children. As I grow older, I always look at her and realize all the sleepless nights and endless sweat and money that she devoted to raising her six children. Through Dove’s perspective, she vividly display how mothers are restricted in the freedom that they possess. “She had an hour, at best, before Liza appeared pouting from the top of the stairs” made me visualize how many times my mother has encountered this scene when she was taking care of each one of us siblings. To me, mothers possess a limited amount of time for themselves before returning back to take care of her children. Finally awakening to the hardships and pain that my mother endures motivates me to work hard to allow my mom to have an early retirement. Through all the efforts that she dedicated to raise me into the man I am today, I never cease to appreciate my mother.
Not only do mothers rarely commit time to themselves but also there lies a stereotype in society of what defines a perfect, true mother.

Hunter shows an example when she “scoffed at a mother who was groomed impeccably with perfect hair and manicures”. She put the woman in shame because she believes on the society’s standards that a woman should have spent her money on her children instead of exerting the money to her beauty. In addition, Hunter felt “an uncomfortable, suffocating guilty feeling” after she unfairly judged this mom. Her judgmental attitude built a guilt towards her and the other mother. This never ending cycle of shaming never brings moms to a point when they can fully fulfill their life. If becoming a mom equivocates towards giving up her life before, many moms today will have a hard time deciding whether they want to start a family or not. Being a mom incorporates many factors, one of which includes self-care. Even though society influences the expectations of women, mothers need to understand that loving themselves and taking time to devote to themselves is not selfish, but instead healthy. If mothers were to only satisfy the needs of her husband and children, they would drain themselves of the soul they had before they uptake the job of being a mother. Therefore, the shaming of mothers should come to an end because mothers should never be ashamed of taking time to care about themselves since they truly deserve it for all the hard work that they put into their

family.
Finally, due to all the judgmental yet implicit bias we place on who makes a perfect mother and who does, it is difficult to understand if the work of a mother is truly “good”. Hunter mentions that if “I'm not an accomplished cook or housekeeper, horror gasps erupt”. The society reacts as if it is shocking that a mother does not proficient in cooking and housekeeping. Somehow, society has an unspoken rule that women must meet a certain quota in order to be labeled as good or decent. This constant reinforcement truly poses a detrimental effect on mothers, making them feel less self-confident in their jobs. However as a mother, it takes confidence, time, and patience to fully raise their children and support their family on every barrier possible. All mothers have strengths and weakness. Though my mother may not have been the best chef, she most definitely was great in inspiring me and pushing me to excel in my mathematical potential. Realizing that mothers are imperfect human beings who are trying their best is the first step to showing gratitude towards them.
Though I could possibly continue to enunciate my love for my mother and how mothers in this generation need to be respect as well as appreciated more, commitment and dedications are two major factors that every mom contributes to her family. Even with the stigma that society burdens mothers with, I believe that mothers possess a strength that not many people take the time to appreciate.