I am guilty of following many, MANY social media accounts. Unfortunately, most of the bloggers and accounts that I closely follow do not resemble my own parenting experience. Things we have in common: we have a child, we go by the name “Mommy,” and we probably both shop on Amazon … because who the heck doesn’t?!
Things we do not have in common: my children rarely cooperate for photographs, my wardrobe isn’t worthy of LIKEtoKNOW.it, I never use the hashtag #ad, and the majority of my meals could not be in a Paleo, Whole 30, or Vegan cookbook.
So why do I continue to follow? Well, I think there are a couple reasons:
Positive Messages – I chose to follow mom bloggers who are putting positive messages out into world whether it be about faith, body positivity, balancing roles, or general positive messages about how amazing we are as mothers.
Moments of Candid Mothering – There are those rare moments where I see just a peek of what’s actually happening at their house. I need that authenticity. Thanks Momma, I got confirmation that we’re all a hot mess. Plus, I’m a sucker for cute kids.
An Escape – I don’t mind a little unrealistic getaway into social media sometimes. We’ve all earned a mindless scroll and a fake shopping trip to Nordstrom’s at the end of the day.
Product Reviews – I don’t have the time or energy (I only take necessary shopping trips with two young children) to shop at stores very often. I appreciate their product reviews on things ranging from children’s products, household items, and affordable clothes shopping hauls.
What I’m not allowing myself to do, or at least working hard not to do, is compare myself to their lives. I know that social media is just a tiny snapshot of life, a perfectly curated snapshot. Even my feed isn’t filled with nearly as many dirty diapers and disasters as my real life has in it. My worth as a mother and as a woman is separate. If you look really closely, you’ll notice something out of place or an extra set of hands helping them to produce a beautiful picture. Don’t let yourself believe any different. I promise that what you have right in front of you, not matter how chaotic, is far more valuable than the screen you’re looking into.
