Clodagh Finn: Can we cancel ‘supermum’ and embrace wonderful, messy reality instead?

In the same year that ‘supermum’ entered the vernacular, ‘wake-up call’ also became a popular phrase — that is what we need right now

Medieval historian Elizabeth Boyle, in her book 'Fierce Appetites', punctures the myth of Queen Medb as a feminist icon. Picture: Bob Foyers

Wed, 23 Mar, 2022 - 08:02

Clodagh Finn

Clodagh Finn is a journalist, writer and collector of stories. Her recent book, The Irish in the Resistance, co-authored with John Morgan, shines a light on the forgotten contributions of the Irish who resisted Hitler during WW2.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word ‘supermom’ — “an exemplary or exceptional mother, especially one who successfully manages a home and brings up children while also having a full-time job” — first appeared in print in 1974.

The American dictionary also offers a helpful guide on how the word is used in sentences; for example, this from Marie Claire magazine in 2018: “Model, supermom, and all-round cool person Chrissy Teigen really is out here living her best life.”