JAN, FEB, MAR 2025 VOLUME 18 Issue 1
MOM
TIME
This article is an excerpt from the Barna report Motherhood Today.
The idea of being “super” has long been a fascination of society. In fiction, having extraordinary abilities to overcome any circumstance is often celebrated. In a memorable scene from the 2004 film Spider-Man 2, Peter Parker’s Aunt May—the strongest maternal figure in his story—declares, “Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, tell how they stood for hours in the cold rain just to catch a glimpse of the one who taught them to hold on a second longer.”
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Being a mom is one of the most rewarding roles and also one of the hardest. A mother might wish she had superhuman abilities for the job—but she doesn’t.
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In reality, connecting these lofty ideals to motherhood can prove harmful. While usually meant to be a celebratory term, the “supermom” label plagues many mothers, pushing them into “mom guilt” and other insecurities that challenge their identity and worth. With the rise of social media use among moms, the interactions many mothers—especially new moms—have online are also causing higher levels of stress as they compare their parenting to others.
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Barna research shows that today’s moms understand the importance of prioritizing mental health, self-care, and other practices for a healthy lifestyle. Yet, many mothers admit they don’t always prioritize this for themselves.
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The little girls who were told “You can have it all”—a family, a career, time for hobbies, and friends—are now moms who embraced this ideal and feel a sense of “having to do it all.” What does this mean for their well-being? And how might the Church help?
Momma Needs a Break
Looking at how moms view motherhood uncovers some of the pressures they often feel. Over two in five mothers (43%) strongly agree being a mother is harder than ever today. Today’s mothers also struggle to feel like they are enough as a mother (33% agree strongly, 36% agree somewhat) and agree they “often feel guilty for prioritizing my own wants or needs” (33% agree strongly, 33% agree somewhat).
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Anxiety and exhaustion are a glaring reality for moms today. Three in four mothers (77%) say it is at least somewhat true “I usually find myself worrying about something,” a sentiment that remains whether a mom is Christian or not. A strong majority of these mothers also say it’s true “I feel tired most of the time” (68% of all moms, 65% of Christian moms and 74% of non-Christian moms). These experiences trickle down into how a mother shows up day to day.
The leadership and staff of Resurrection Life Church understand the pressure on mothers in today’s culture. We also understand the pressures on all of us with trying to measure up, be good enough, and having the time for everything we need to get done versus the things we want to do. That is why we have small groups. We call them Life Groups. They are nothing more than a small group of people who gather and encourage one another, pray for one another, be there for one another. So, if you are a mother who feels like she is not good enough, or don’t have the time to do all she needs to do, we are here for you. Take time and invest in you and your relationship with God, and as you do He will give you what you need when you need it. RLM has lifegroups just for mothers and for ladies every week. The time you invest can be the catalyst to you getting the strength and fellowship you need to be the woman God has called you to be and empowered you to be.
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For more information on our groups visit rlministry.org/groups