As I was packing ham and cheese sandwiches for my daughters’ lunches a cheery announcer on the TV was telling me that preserved meat may be linked to cancer. I tried not to think about the chicken wrapped in prosciutto last night or the caesar salad dotted with bacon a couple of dinners ago. Right, another thing to bear in mind, stop feeding the children a potentially terminal illness.

After the usual battle of socks (how the hell can we be down to one pair of sports socks between two girls already?), the hurried note signing and my Sargeant Major bellowing of last-minute instructions we adjourned to the car. Where we were greeted by a giant spider. But that’s OK, I am woman, hear me roar, I can deal with a spider. I took off my shoe and hopped around the car whacking madly in every direction. At one point I thought I’d done the job. It looked dead. I politely requested the eldest daughter might like to remove the arachnid … to which she replied.

“No mum, you can do that, ’cause you’re awesome”

We’ll ignore the fact she was deliberately buttering me up because there was no way in hell she was going to touch the thing (which was kinda lucky, turned out I had only concussed him and he started crawling up my arm as I got him out of the car). Instead on this International Women’s Day I’m going to take the “you’re awesome” comment and own it.

Yes, I am bloody well awesome.

I am awesome when I juggle competing demands with dexterity. I am awesome when I negotiate an anxious child to success. I am awesome when I raise independent, funny, smart young women who interact with the world in a positive way. I am awesome when I add financially (small or large) to our family bank balance. I am awesome when I show my daughters an example of handling stressful situations or difficult people. I am awesome when I manage to give my kids everything they need on a shoestring budget. I am awesome when I keep my children fit and well in a world of attractive unhealthy options. I am awesome when I navigate our way through the minefield of modern life, sidestepping the technology potholes and keeping pace with each new scenario as it is invented.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day there are important discussions being had about violence against women, a woman’s financial state and the future of feminism. The reality of our world is sometimes unbearably frightening,  I deeply appreciate the fact I live in safety and good health, where I worry about my child’s exposure to dodgy ham as opposed to their risk of dying in a landmine.  However, I also accept that I don’t have the resources or capability to take on the big-scale fights.

What I do have is the corner of the world where I rule (with a lot of compromise and conversation). It’s a place where my husband and I can show equality in action. Where we can front up for difficult discussions with our daughters on the bigger issues. Where we can prepare our girls to head out into the world equipped with skills and resilience. Where we can teach our children the benchmark for acceptable standards and what level of respect you should demand from the people in your life.

So to all the mums, stay-at-home, in a little paid work, or a lot, here’s to you on International Women’s Day. As you battle through school drop-offs, forgotten projects, endless washing and melding together the demands of children, partner, boss please remember  YOU ARE AWESOME.