Soccer Mom: The Challenge of The Recession of 2009

Today's soccer moms are faced with a number of challenges that soccer moms of yesterday did not have to deal with. One of the biggest challenges today is that many families are finding it necessary to have two incomes. With the economy in worse shape than this country has seen in years, even decades, it is becoming more and more difficult for moms to be able to be there for every sports activity or meeting and still find time for daily chores and errands due to the fact that many of these moms must also work as well. Today's "soccer mom" is finding herself having to have even more super capabilities than what was once required.

So, how do soccer moms deal with the stresses of the 21st century? First of all you have to take a deep breath and relax and make yourself understand that you can't do everything by yourself. Another thing to keep in mind is that the world is not going to crumble around you if you miss and errand or skip a meeting. These things happen to everyone and can be easily fixed, tomorrow. Not everything has to be done according to a set timeframe. Planning is key and scheduling certain responsibilities for a date ahead of when it actually needs to be done will help take some of the stress away as if something comes up and you find yourself having to cancel that errand or meeting it won't disrupt you to much if you have to reschedule.

Another thing that today's soccer moms must remember is that you can always ask "soccer dad" for help. With so many more women working today and providing extra income for the family more and more men are finding themselves helping around the house and with the kids much more than what was once traditional. Simply asking for help may have you soon finding your load isn't so heavy after all. Many more moms are taking advantage of their mate today and this simple little difference is actually making a huge difference in lowering moms' stress levels. But, you can't always expect the help to just come to you; you have to understand that sometimes you have to ask if you want to receive.

Another challenge that soccer moms today are facing also has to do with the economy but in a different form. Today moms are finding themselves with less money to spend on all the activities, household items, and necessities than what they once had. It used to be that stay at home soccer moms often had sufficient funds for such things but today even working soccer moms are finding it difficult to make ends meet. This is undoubtedly a temporary problem and moms need to hang in there and wait out the storm without becoming too overwhelmed. Prioritizing is something that moms have always had to do, and always been good at so the transition for soccer moms from the twentieth century to the twenty-first doesn't necessarily have to be as hard as it seems. The challenges are no doubt different but moms still have the strength and ability to adapt that they always have.

The History of the Term "Soccer Mom"

Susan Casey, in 1995, used the word 'soccer mom' for the first time during a election for a spot on the Denver City Council. Her slogan, "a soccer mom for City Council", became anonymous with a lifestyle of taking care of children and still having a professional life. She even claimed that she was a soccer mom and a neighbor, not just a politician.

Her use of the slogan presented that accomplished women were able to not only run family and a profession, but were also able to give their children the time and advantages the other parents were able to. Ms. Casey won the election with over 51% of the votes in the slogan became synonymous with not only people of the Denver area but also other areas around the country.

During the 1996 Republican National Convention, the term became a nationwide phenomenon. Alex Castellanos, a media adviser to Bob Dole, presented to the nation that Bill Clinton was using the demographics of soccer moms to win the election. The media adviser defined the word soccer mom as "to be overburdened middle income working mother who transports their children to soccer practice, to scouts to, and school." As the election drew near media interests took more stock in the term soccer mom and began to use the word and many news reports, news articles, and television coverage. The demographics of soccer moms took on specifics of their own including what the soccer mom drove, how she voted, and other attributes that define this lady of ambition.

How to Be The Greatest Soccer Mom in the World

There are a lot of soccer moms out there and sometimes you may wonder if you have what it takes to be the best soccer mom in the world. Here are a few hints to help you achieve the goal, and the first one sounds pretty redundant, but a lot of soccer moms failed to do it.

First of all you need to buy the kid a soccer ball. Just because he has a soccer ball at the practice or playing field does not mean that he does not need one around the house. If your child has a soccer ball around the house they will practice more. To get them to practice, play soccer with your daughter or son. Just 20 minutes a day will be a wonderful way for them to hone their skills and the time can be used to spend time with your children. It is very good exercise and you may shed a few pounds and get in shape by doing so.

If you don't have them buy the kid some practice cones so that your child can practice their dribbling skills and other soccer skills in the yard. If you cannot afford the practice comes, get some old wash buckets and turn them upside down. No matter what the obstacle is it will give your child a chance to practice their soccer skills they need to be a great player. If you can afford it you might want to get a soccer goal yard. If you get a practice goal, your son or daughter can practice hitting into the goal. Even though they may not do it on the field, they can have a small amount of success which builds their self-esteem for a replay.