vise, inspire and exhort them to excel. She’s apt to reinforce stereo-
typical male behavior in her sons, early giving them the “Strong
men don’t cry” message.
Athena mothers also do well with daughters who are like them,
the independent ones who share their mothers’ logical approach to
things. Such women can be role models and mentors for daughters
who are like themselves. Some Athena mothers, however, have
daughters who are very different from themselves. Such daughters,
for example, may be innately more interested in what people feel
than in how things work, and may not be assertive or intellectual.
With a traditional daughter, an Athena mother does less well. She
may be amused, accepting, and tolerant of a daughter who is unlike
herself. Or she may discount the daughter and favor a son. Either
way, the daughter feels an emotional distance and senses that she
is not valued as she is.
The Athena woman finds it difficult to deal with either sons or
daughters who are easily moved by feelings. The situation is harder,
of course, on the children. If they accept her standards, they are
likely to grow up devaluing themselves for being crybabies as chil-
dren, and for being oversensitive as adults. Her practical-mindedness
also makes her impatient with a dreamy child who fantasizes.
An Athena mother expects her children to do what is expected of
them, to rise above the emotion-evoking events in their lives, and
be “good soldiers”—as she is.
MIDDLE YEARS
The Athena woman often finds the middle years to be the best
part of her life. With her ability to see matters as they are, she rarely
has illusions to be disillusioned about. If all goes according to plan,
her life unfolds in an orderly fashion.
In midlife, an Athena woman usually takes time to assess her
situation. She reconsiders all options, and then makes a fairly orderly
transition to the next phase. If work is her primary concern, she is
in mid-career, and can now see her trajectory: how high she can rise,
how secure her situation is, where a relationship with a mentor can
take her. If she is a
Athena: Goddess of Wisdom Growing beyond the confining