It’s easy to see someone else’s beautifully curated IG feed and second guess everything you’re doing as a mom.
“They’re life looks so put together.”
“No screen time – how?!”
“Their children eat veggies…at every meal?!”
“Should we sign up for that local music class, too? Shoot, did we miss the deadline?”
“I wish I could stay home with my kid like that.”
“I never see a stain on their child’s adorable outfits.”
“They never, ever look as tired as me.”
The comparisons can be exhausting. And, I’m pretty sure we all do it. We’re already feeling edgy about a certain thing in our own lives or households, and a spotlight on someone else suddenly intensifies our feelings around it.
I’ll share a bit more about my own insecurity lately.
As my husband and I get ready for work each morning, we tend to throw the TV on to allow us more time to run around, get our things together and get dressed. This often means our 2-and-a-half-year-old is drinking his milk while watching a kid’s show. The guilt comes on fast for me. My internal dialogue sounds a bit like this… “He should be playing… I should have gotten up earlier to have more one-on-one time with him now… Are we the only parents relying on TV as a distraction right now?” Obviously not. But in those moments of guilt, that’s where our minds go. They spiral.
I’m pretty sure no one has it easy. No working moms. No stay-at-home moms. None of us. Even the ones who seemingly “have it all.”
Every mom is rushing at some point in the day.
Every mom is wondering if her child is getting enough socialization or independent play. Every mom is worried if her child is eating enough or the right foods.
Every mom is feeling like the days are endless and peek at the clock from time to time.
Every mom runs out of fun activities to do on a rainy day.
Every mom has taken a deep, long breath behind the wheel, wondering when the backseat crying will stop.
Can we all just cut the crap and agree that this sh*t is hard. 🙃 It’s not all butterflies and rainbows and sensory boxes and cute diaper bags. It’s messy and mundane and challenging and sometimes, well, most of the time, very thankless.
I guess what I’m trying to say is:
You’re less alone than you think.
So when you’re scrolling and seeing someone’s Instagram, wondering, “How do they have it all figured out?” Remind yourself, they most likely don’t. You’re in the same boat. It just looks a little different. We’re all just doing our best, day after day, and finding some grace along the way.
I hope you know how together we are in this, even on the days where it feels so far from it.
