Motherhood in the digital world.

Being a mom today is not like it used to be.

We're expected as parents to be perfect because if we're not, the whole digital world has something to say about it. I'm here to say eff that noise. We're constantly surrounded by highlight reels, comparing ourselves to the bright and shiny faces we see on instagram and falling victim to the façade that is social media.

First of all: Perfect is fake. The whole perception of perfect would fall in the eye of the beholder, no? My perfect would be different from your perfect.

I think maybe we're all just different versions of perfect. or maybe just different versions of fucked up.

My version of fucked up.... er perfect? is as follows.

I don't always like my kids. I love them, I love them so much that it hurts. Sometimes when they're being mean to each other or me or the kids on the playground or those times when I say "don't throw that" and they look at me, pause, and then throw it anyway. Or when I'm trying to pee in peace and my daughter insists on sitting on my lap. Does that make me a monster? I made these little humans after all, how could I not like them? Uhm, they're humans! Imperfect, opinionated humans that haven't learned how to be respectful of boundaries yet. There's not a person on the planet I like 100% of the time. Not even myself.

I don't buy all organic foods, sometimes Silas eats pb&j on white bread three times a day because he doesn't like anything else.

I spank my kids. I give them opportunities to avoid the spanking first. I keep my cool and explain to them "hey stop the bullshit behavior and I won't spank you" and sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn't.

I don't keep my house clean all the time. I try. Oh believe me I really try. But it doesn't happen. There are not enough hours for me to undo all the messes that my kids make in a day.

I use the ipad as a babysitter. No shame here, folks. Sometimes mommy needs a minute.

I hide my favorite snacks from my kids.

Sometimes I even hide myself from my kids.

Being a mother these days is exhausting, it comes with so much pressure from the moment you announce that you're having a baby. Someone always has something to say about how you're doing it wrong.

We're expected to be gentle and use kind words but don't be that parent whose kid is screaming in the grocery store because they've never been told no. Don't curse and certainly don't spank. Limit screen-time and breastfeed and don't let them use a binky for too long and don't let them cry it out. Be present but don't hover. If you stay at home with your kids, you're lazy and if you go to work, you're cold.

For every article published with an opinion on parenting there is another article published with an opposing view. Living in this digital age where everything you see is a highlight reel can leave one feeling very isolated and alone. But not here my friends, you're home now. You're welcome to parent however you please and I for one will respect your values and your parenting style the whole way through.