Definition of soccer mom

The term "soccer mom" originated during the 1990s in the United States, particularly during the presidential election campaign of Bill Clinton. At that time, Clinton's campaign strategists noticed that many suburban women with children were attending their children's soccer matches on weekends instead of participating in traditional Republican politics or working full-time. To appeal to these women and paint Clinton as a family-friendly candidate, campaign adviser James Carville coined the term "soccer mom" as a way to target these women, who were typically affluent and educated, and who exhibited a sense of involvement and responsibility by actively cheering on their kids' soccer teams. Politicians and media outlets quickly adopted the term, and it became part of the American lexicon. Although the original use of "soccer mom" was relatively benign, it has since been used more broadly to describe suburban moms who prioritize their children's activities and interests over personal or professional pursuits. While the term "soccer mom" initially referred only to women with preschool-aged children, it has since been extended to encompass mothers of children at all ages, and its use has become somewhat derisive, implying that women who identify as soccer moms may be overly focused on their children's hobbies and neglectful of their own priorities.