Cartoonist uses own life for ideas for comic strip

The cartoon runs in more than 20 newspapers.
LYNDHURST, Ohio (AP) -- Jill Kaplan is a graphic designer who works from home, takes care of a family of four, yet still finds time to record her thoughts in a daily journal.
That's nothing compared with Terri Libenson, an artist who juggles a family of four plus two jobs -- including one that brings Jill to life in the panels of the cartoon strip "The Pajama Diaries."
The strip, which debuted in March and now runs in more than 20 newspapers, gives the funny pages a first-person look at the plight of the modern mom.
"They all face so many challenges today that a lot of women haven't faced in earlier years. They're expected to do more, be more," Libenson said. "It's something I'm trying to break down within this strip -- sort of take apart that whole notion of being a supermom, that you have to be everything to everybody. That's something I struggle with personally."
Inspiration
The strip is rooted in Libenson's real-life experiences.
The 36-year-old Libenson is raising two daughters, Mollie, 6, and Nikki, 3, with husband, Michael Davis, who works full-time as an information technology project manager.
Besides the cartoon strip, Libenson writes humor cards for American Greetings. She does it all from her suburban Cleveland home, where sippy cups dry in a plastic container on the kitchen counter and the electrical outlets are filled with safety plugs.
The house is model-home clean, but Libenson says that's only because of the "For Sale" sign in the front yard. Otherwise, the place might look like Jill's home in the strip, with scattered crayons and cereal crumbs as part of the decor.
Each strip is told from the perspective of Jill's Web log, which provides personal insight into her attempts to fulfill roles as mother, wife and business professional.
"She tries," Libenson said.
The subject matter ranges from silly (the kids applauding Jill for fitting her rear end into her jeans) to social commentary.
In one Sunday strip, Libenson took on what she calls a double standard in the business world: fathers looked at as heroes if they leave work early to attend a child's recital, but mothers viewed as uncommitted if they do the same.