How Breaking the Cycle of Mommy Competition Can Help Raise A Mom’s Self-Esteem

March 26, 1:32 PMLA Motherhood ExaminerKimberley Clayton Blaine

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I enjoyed the book, "Tripping the Prom Queen: The Truth About Women and Rivalry" and all the info that Susan Shapiro Barash, the author of presented. She is great writer and while her points are hard to digest, I kept on reading. I needed to find the rainbow. She speaks the brutal truth about how women have a hard time supporting other women. Her first several chapters are actually interviews of high powered business women who speak candidly of their jealous and competitive nature. I thought, geez, can I read more of this drab output of data about women? But low and behold, Barash gives a recipe for how confident women can begin to change their unhealthy and catty ways of conducting business.

I authentically related to her findings. I am a genuine supporter of women owned businesses. I am also a true fan of beautiful and successful women. I am basically a fan of any woman who makes life great for herself - without pushing other women down or out of the way. Barash talks about how this competitive nature is bred in little girls early on and then gets carried into adulthood and into the work place.

Women need women. Little girls need to be taught to celebrate the successes of other girls while still embracing their differences. If women support other women, and I mean confident women, then our daughters will learn that there is no place for clique-ish, catty behavior and that others who exceed far beyond us shall be applauded. This stance starts in the home and is taught by mothers.

I meditate and do yoga and try to come to peace with my shortcomings. I also center myself daily knowing that there are hundreds of women who will never support my cause or business because they don't want to compete with other successful women.

So I raise my hat to Susan Shapiro Barash and thank her for her unique piece and perspective. She says, "women need to roll over and make room for each other." Here here!

She inspired me to publish my own book, "Mommy Confidence."  Which is available at amazon.com