The Millennial Mom – Failures
by
I will be the first to admit that I am not perfect, and in a world filled with social-media mother expectations and picture perfect parenthood, it is so easy to feel like you’re not doing something right. WRONG.
I recently read an article from a doctor explaining that some teen suicides are directly related to social-media (!!!). Not just teens, but mothers are also coming out to say that they feel inadequate because of the addiction to making our lives seem much more glamorous than they truly are. I love a good posed photo of my kids smiling right before they start to scream, chasing them around to put on a nice paired outfit that will inevitably get yogurt splashed across the front and perfectly (& purposefully) dodging the mess my toddler has made out of frame of the picture, but what we see in that tiny square as we open up our Instagram app isn’t always real life. Real mom life is messy and hard. My house gets discombobulated and I will admit that there is usually a diaper lying around that needs to be thrown away. I always have dishes in my sink that need to be done and I always ALWAYS have a pile of dirty laundry hanging around somewhere. But, as mothers (especially millennial moms) we sometimes feel like we need to have everything together or we aren’t doing enough, or more importantly – we aren’t doing it right. When, in reality, the opposite is true. The dirty laundry is piled because my children get a new change of clothes everyday and a new pair of warm pajamas at night. My dishes aren’t done all of the time because I cook three meals a day for them (usually) and the diapers/underwear are never ending because I keep little butts clean all day.
I’m not saying that picture perfect moments don’t happen, because they do – and they are so sweet, hold on to them – but our first thought shouldn’t be to snap a photo to slap onto our social media accounts to show how perfect our lives are. And, I’m not saying not to share the beautiful times… I’m just saying, that maybe just once, let’s be real. For the sake of every struggling mother out there who thinks that she isn’t doing it right, every first time mom trying her hardest and running herself into the ground trying to live up to the expectation that we have set by misleading our followers. It is a fallacy – and I know it has been said before, but i’m going to say it again for the mamas who need to hear it. You are killing it, and you are doing a great job.
Embrace this crazy, messy bun, yoga pant & coffee breath season of life because it is going to pass so quickly. Rid your day of expectations and anxiety, and hug your babies (who may have had cookies for breakfast and that’s okay). Everything else can wait, they can’t.
Much love, mamas
For more great blogs from Danielle, check out her blog at DanielleBurkhardt.com or follow her on instagram @danielleburkheart
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