friday forte: youth full

aaaaaargh! contact lenses, originally uploaded by ebbandflo_pomomama.

This week I ran out of face primer. No panic - easily remedied by a quick trip to Sephora (how I love thy hallowed aisles). Why face primer? It's the only thing that evens out the blotchiness of rosacea but doesn't cover the freckles and leave me feeling like fake see-through woman. I am older. I have wrinkles. I have freckles and my skin isn't blemish-free or softly dewy. I no longer turn heads as I pass groups of handsome young men ... well, I never did but at least when I was younger it wasn't as ridiculous a concept as it is today. I am not young anymore, but neither am I old.
But young is what we're meant to be these days. Have you noticed how many prevailing images of mothers feature perfectly toned, streamlined early thirties or younger models? and this isn't just in advertising either; I noticed it in the crop of pics from a recent mum meet up I attended. Only the youthful and beautiful need apply? Is this the only model of motherhood available these days? I have absolutely nothing against younger mums - they were sensible to procreate at peak fertility and in their prime, but they're not the only version. And yes, I do think mature mums, i.e., those who first gave birth over the age of 35y/37y, are different. Slipping into peri-menopause at the same time as packing the school lunches gives a whole new outlook to family life.
What do mature mums crave in family life? Are they pursuing the same idyllic work/life balance as their younger sisters, or are they either more sanguine or career hungry? Do they race back to work, or do they savour stay-at-home motherhood? Was motherhood hard won, almost too late, or a happy accident? Are they as interested in mompreneurship or do they have a more jaded view of working life? Is there a sense of urgency to beat the biological clock, only this time it's ticking toward hormonal disruption and death. Do you wonder if you'll be around long enough to be a grandparent, or is it enough to make it to high school graduation?
So mums - mature mums - mature mums of young children - do you think you're included in the blueprint for the current model?