Do you ever read the comic strip Rose is Rose? Rose, the average mom, who's alter ego is a Biker Chick? Do you know who I'm talking about? Check out the cartoon below, it'll jog your memory.
When I was in high school, I remember my mom reading Rose is Rose and loving her alter ego. At the time I thought it was funny but I didn't really "get" what Biker Chick was really about. Now that I'm a mom I can totally relate...I know exactly how Rose feels when Biker Chick pops up.
It seems to me as women become mothers their true personalities become dormant for their children. We don't express what we truly want to express or do what we truly want to do and, as Rose puts it, we stay out of trouble. We have part of ourselves that we hide for our children and others.
Let's face it, if you saw another mom like Biker Chick you'd probably have the fleeting thought that maybe she isn't a good mom or maybe her kid must be a little hellion. If you saw a mom riding around on a motorcycle or sky diving you might think she is pretty reckless and irresponsible and you might think twice before letting little Johnny head over to play with her kids. We all make snap judgements on what we see.
How much of your personality do you hide from your own children? I like a beer every now and again but I don't drink in front of my kids. Besides the fact Yahoo drinks out of every container she can get her hands on, it's difficult explaining to Yip and Yap that even though drinking may be bad for your health adult's have the right to make their own choices and children don't. At least not all the time.
Don't all moms have an alter ego like Rose's Biker Chick? Don't we all have another life we would live if we didn't have kids or that, we hope, we'll be able to live once our kids are older? I know I do.
My alter ego is Evie Extreme! If I didn't have kids I would do rock climb, surf, compete in ultra-marathons. Oh I hear some of you say, "Well, you can do some of that stuff right now." Well, yes...I could but if I participated in all those extreme things now but if I did I'd have to choose between myself and my kids. And I admit, some of the stuff I'd like to do could be dangerous and how fair is to Yip, Yap and Yahoo to put their mom in danger? Right now my kids are my responsibility and priority so Evie Extreme only gets to play a little. A 5K race (pretending I'm running a marathon) or a swim in the town pool (imagining myself in Hawaii's waters) or, my favorite fantasy, riding in my mom-mobile listening to Toby Keith songs (visualizing riding a Harley across the country.)
Rose, I understand you, and your alter ego Biker Chick, a lot better now. I'm rooting for the day I read the Sunday funnies and Rose gets in trouble. Or maybe I'm rooting for the day I get to.
How about you? Who's your alter ego?
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Oh my! You hit the nail on the head with this one! I've never heard of Rosie before(????How is that??, but yes I long for my old life some days. Not marrying until 39 allowed me to live a pretty fun life of travel and carefree weekends that usually involved line dancing at the Cactus and some drinking, but those days are gone, at least for now. If I could go back, I would have to bring all my best girl friends with me because now they too are moms and wives and have also put some of their old selves away for a few years.
ReplyDeleteSigh, I think I would be Footloose Fran, do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. That is what I miss most.
Footloose Fran...nice to meet ya!
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog, and I'm loving it! (Also, I'm feeling sheepish, because I would have totally classified Kansas as the midwest!) Oh wow, I haven't thought of Rose is Rose in YEARS. I don't have kids yet, but that seems like such a good point--I feel like we do that all the time, hide parts of ourselves depending on who we're with, and I know there are times when I see my parents as *people* and not my parents and it's always a little jarring. Really an interesting thing to think about.
ReplyDeleteI can so relate with your blog. I am Mom who got my motorcycle license when my youngest was in college. Now I ride everywhere. Including an "extreme" ride of 1500 miles in 24 hours alone to see my grandkids. I play with guns, ride my kayak, adventure on a dirt bike and show my grandchildren life is good.
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