I’m tired of the false expectations we are given as Mothers. We are continually being fed lies through images online, and on television and movies! Is being a Mom as amazing as they have always told us? ABSOLUTELY! But, that doesn’t mean it has to be as perfect as we have been lead to believe. Part of the beauty is the chaos and the struggle.
Lets face it, rarely does anyone tell the absolute truth on social media. No one wants to read,” I cried 3 times today for reasons I am still unsure about.” As a status update. Here is my confession: some days, I may sound a lot more happy-go-lucky on FB than if you were to run into me in real life!
We live in a society where we are constantly recording our thoughts and actions and displaying them to the public…and they aren’t even accurate! They are mostly a facade we are trying to create so that others think our lives are what we think they should be! A society where “messy” buns take much too long to perfect, and aren’t even that “messy” anymore!
Now, don’t get me wrong…I am totally guilty for following along this horrible path of destruction. If I didn’t do my hair and makeup, I don’t take a selfie. If I ran around the house in my PJ’s all day because I was backed-up on laundry and too busy changing dirty diapers and making snacks to shower…I doubt that I posted very many realistic status updates that day. People hate to admit what their lives are really like, and would much rather glamorize what it is that they are actually doing.
When we read these sugar coated status updates, view these posed pictures, and watch these staged shows, we are given false expectations for what life is “supposed” to be like. Then, when reality hits, we are shocked or ashamed by the truth of it all. We think that we must be struggling more than others, that something is wrong with us specifically, because others don’t seem to be experiencing the same things. This is especially true when it comes to Motherhood and how effortless social media and other forms of media outlets make it seem.
For me, one of the hardest things is that being a Mom is not a job I can just clock in and out from. I’m working 24-7…and it’s exhausting! According to popular television shows and movies, being a Mom means having a baby quietly sitting in their room until its time to check in on them (while their playing in their crib…always just playing in their crib!) and hand them a bottle.
Being a Mother is luckily A LOT more involved and eventful than that. It requires so much more multitasking, energy, and organization than I ever thought I could be capable of! Amazingly enough, it is still the most rewarding and beautiful thing that I have even experienced. My children are WORTH all of the hours, sleepless nights, and actual messy buns!
What are your struggles as a Mother? Be candid, be frank, and know that it’s all okay! We are doing the best we can, and that’s what our kids will remember (not what our FB statuses claim, or what our Instagram pictures depict).
REAL Motherhood Experiences 