On the April 27th Today Show, I saw a segment titled "Alpha Moms" and had to laugh. The idea of multitasking mothers didn't seem all that strange to me. As usual, we boomers were the second generation to do it, but the first to say "There's nothing wrong with multitasking."

With two small children at home, I traveled the world (sometimes with and sometimes without them) researching and co-authering a series of books (published by Bantam Book) called "Born To Shop". The book's market was women who loved the finer things in life and the adventure that came with finding a unique item, wholesale factory outlet, or great museum in a part of the world never visited before. At that time we didn't think anything about merging our home and professional worlds. My mother had done it and was my role model. She held down a job at The New York Post (Dorothy Schiff days) and raised a group of children who loved and admired her. I could have chosen not to have a career and lots of my friends did just that. But what I realize, looking back,is that their "alpha mom" traits made them the home room mothers, charity leaders and school board members. Many of them are now in Congress. How much do we love Nancy Pelosi and all her Grandchildren? What I am saying is that the "Alpha-Mom" is nothing new.

But as each generation attempts to redefine itself, the not-so-new, takes on a new twist.

I did a Google search to learn that marketing to "Alpha Moms" has becoming a phenomenon. The Today Show segment featured an on-demand television web venture founded by Isabelle Zuckerman, a self described member of the alpha breed. Alpha Mom television is "an all-day, all-night, on-demand cable channel where “mothers seeking excellence,” according to press releases, would be able to find “the latest, best-of-breed information” on everything from preconception and child development to how women can “maintain their style, sophistication and sense-of-self upon entering mommyhood.” You can read a full story of how Isabelle and her empire got started in New York Magazine's feature by Randall Paterson: Empire of the Alpha Mom. According to a USA Today story by Bruce Horovitz, the originator of the term Alpha Mom was Constance Van Flandern a mother and graphic artist who was working with Zuckerman on her television concept.

As it turns out many major advertisers have risen to the challenge of this new, tech savvy group of women. According to Horovitz, "A good chunk of Cadillac's online ad campaign — at mycadillacstory.com— features Alpha Moms." Kimberly-Clark has launched the Huggies Baby Network, Proctor and Gamble has been testing its Swiffer WetJets with readers of The Nest. Unilever's Suave brand, in partnership with Sprint, has created an "In the Motherhood " website that airs mom-scripted web videos. You'll have to be an alpha mom to keep up with all the competition!

I call it reinventing the wheel. What do you think?