Even wikipedia, the fountain of all truth and knowledge, acknowledges it:
The phrase soccer mom generally refers to a married middle-class woman who lives in the suburbs and has school age children.[1][2] She is sometimes portrayed in the media as busy or overburdened and driving a minivan.[1][3] She is also portrayed as putting the interests of her family, and most importantly her children, ahead of her own. Soccer moms received so much attention during the election that the American Dialect Society voted "soccer mom" Word of the Year for 1996.The phrase has taken on a negative aspect.I hear it on other blogs, too "Omigawrsh, look at this picture of me, I look like a soccer mom." On reality TV (What Not To Wear) - "oh, throw away everything you own. It all screams soccer mom!" In daily conversation - "I need a makeover, I look way too much like a soccer mom."
Why?
I really, truly want to know.
Because I'm lovin' it.
14 comments:
I don't know- but I am proud to be a soccer mom and a hockey mom. Times Four!
I dont' know either! I was so excited to take on the title for the first time this year!
I think maybe because the society is so career driven they forgot family should be placed first. I enjoy being a soccer mom also .
I don't see anything wrong with being a soccer mom. I'm not one though. I did go and take pictures of some soccer kids last Saturday for a friend of mine. I felt strangely out of place. It's something that's bothered me ever since.
As to why it's negative, I just assume that anything having to do with raising a family, or even sacrificing anything in order to bless someone else's life, is socially unacceptable.
However, if we can learn anything from it, it's that we still do need to nurture some part of us that is seperate and whole, apart from our families. And within every sub-culture, there is competition and backbiting, and "soccer moms" are no exception. So maybe some portion of it has to do with the element of "my kid's a better player than yours" or "I'm thinner / richer / busier / more organized / driving a newer minivan than you" that can creep in if we're not careful.
Society may not tell you that that's why they sneer at soccer moms, but it doesn't hurt to learn from it anyway.
Love Denae's comment. I think it's negative for the same reason that in many circles "stay at home Mom" is negative.
Oh. That's ALL you do?!
Meh. Whatever.
Perhaps also it is linked to the super obsessive competitive nature of some sports parents. You know, the ones that yell at four year olds for missing a goal?
As for the soccer players in YOUR pictures? Holy adorable. I'd be loving it too if I were you.
Sunshine and Little Prince are studs.
Nuff said.
It's a darn good question. I loved it when Emma was in soccer and driving her to practice made me feel like a good mom, not an overburdened one. And I applaud moms who make time for their kids like that.
I seriously didn't realize it was seen as negative. Now, "stage mom" that's one I can talk about.
Negative in the world's eyes for this reason in your def'n:
"She is also portrayed as putting the interests of her family, and most importantly her children, ahead of her own."
...which is exactly the best thing I've learned from parenthood and the very thing that has enriched my life more than anything else. I've found myself more by losing myself in the service of these little people.
p.s. I love What Not to Wear :)
Hey.It's Allyson..I met you at Tricia Mayer's a few weeks ago. I just noticed that I am in one your photos. The 4th one I think (sitting under the tent on the far right...not the best photo but you weren't aiming for me ha ha)My son Alex is on the Sharks the neon yellow/green team you played last week.Small world! I LOVE being a soccer mom. No shame at all. Love, love, love it.
You are a good, good lady because I was just telling Kenny that I hope all my kids turn out to be bad at sports because I hate the soccer shuffle.
That's terrible, huh?
It's just that I like having our Saturdays to hang out together, not at the ball field.
But don't judge too harshly. I'm going to train them to be really good at something involving chocolate. They won't be without talents!
"Soccer mom in Arizona" would imply to me that you sacrificed hours of your life sweating it out to support and encourage and strengthen your young. That's celestial kingdom material if you ask me.
Hey Becky, not sure if you remember me, but we lived next to each other back in our BYU/King Henry Days-I lived with Christa and Meghan. Anyway, I am with you on loving the soccer mom aspect. In fact, I guess it goes to show that my perspective is very different than the rest of the world because not only am I loving the soccer mom stage (as well as baseball mom and all others) but I looked forward to when it would happen.
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