Earth Mother: A definition.

[spidermama]

I've been Mumsnetting for 2/3 weeks but so far I've only seen 'Earth Mother' being used as a derogatory term.

It's used to imply a smug, self-satisfied woman who judges others.

However, according to Collins English Dictionary an earth mother is ....

1. a female Goddess considered as the source of fertility and life.
   
2. the Earth, personified .... or ....
   
3. a fecund or sensual woman.
   
   Mmm Hmmmm!
   I can understand it's not everyone's cup of tea but I, for one, unashamedly aspire to be an earth mother.

[spidermama]

I'd like to add the following ...

Able to keep a straight face in a sweat lodge.
Knows the value of raw foods.
In touch with spirit.
Is generally supportive of other women.
Is familiar with natural healing methods.
Doesn't wear make-up or deoderant.
Environmentally aware.
Favours a centre parting.
Specialises in flavour-free food.

I'm half-way to earth motherdom.

[moondog]

rofl indeed! Triceratops,weeping at the thought of Fran's nipples and fiddly folk music.

I have to duck out of the inedible food thing. I am a great cook (although have to concede spidermama that after a day or two of trying to convince myself,came to the conclusion that millet is f*ing vile!

[moondog]

An EM would never buy a travel system.

Bulky complicated sling a must!

[SenoraPostrophe]

a brazilian is called an "English" in Spain.

anyway that's another em point for me

I also forgot:

grows own veg.
keeps chickens.
doesn't spend all her time on mumsnet.

[SenoraPostrophe]

actually maybe it's not a brazilian that's an "English", maybe that's a bikini line wax. This all goes to show how much i care about it anyway.

[moondog]

That's funny Senora!

EMs would be expected to have some sort of faded and dusty ethnic mobile/windchime/wallhanging somewhere in their house.

[bijou]

And a hammock.

Big loose dresses and no telly.
Lots of oats and soy milk for breaky.
No sugar in the house. Only honey and blackstrap molasses.

[Magscat]

I went to a museum with a friend the other day. Between us we had 3 boys aged 4 to 6 and my baby daughter.

On the way out we looked at the museum's 'Visitors' Comments' book and someone had written (about 5 minutes earlier) 'nice museum apart from the Earth Mothers and their brats'.

We were the only women with kids in there. Neither of us were wearing 'hippy' clothes (I have a few but was wearing jeans that day) and we weren't going round talking about lentil stew or mooncups or anything and no-one could have seen dd's cotton nappies. I didn't even need to b/f her while we were there.

So what was it about us that made someone call us 'Earth Mother' ?

We thought it was funny - agree it's a daft thing to say when you want to be negative about someone.

[alexsmum]

got a friend who makes fruit tea and sweetens it with honey , chills it and gives it to her kids instead of normal juice. that's quite earth mothery!
if bikini waxes are a defining part of earth motherdom- then i'm on the way! never had one done -too scared ....prefer au naturel!

[mizmiz]

rofl magscat!!!!