Not All Hockey Moms Are Pit Bulls

Many are saying, thanks to the media’s obsession with Sarah Palin, that soccer moms are out and hockey moms are in. Seemingly overnight, being a hockey mom has become the newest trend. Hits for the term on the internet are soaring and a new stereotype is emerging. The preppy , minivan driving soccer mom has been replaced by the aggressive, loud, Suburban driving hockey moms. Are we all nuts? Do we need yet another category to differentiate ourselves from one another? Yes, I do have two kids that play hockey. They also play baseball, softball, gymnastics and even sometimes soccer. They even have some non-athletic interests like theater and music. I don’t drive a minivan, I hate getting up in the morning and I’ve been just as cold standing on a soccer field in November as a hockey rink in January. I know some hockey moms that work and some that don’t. Some that are loud and some that aren’t. Kids have activities and we as moms are responsible for supporting whatever dreams they have. Childhood activities should never be about a parents needs or wants. It should be about raising healthy, active, well rounded kids who have their own dreams and ambitions. My only role is to support and help them to achieve what they desire as human beings. My kids play hockey because they want to play hockey. It’s not “trendy” or “popular” just because the media wants it to be. We should never let ourselves be labeled as a hockey or soccer mom because at the end of the day our jobs as women deserve much more attention then that.