A Week in the Life of a Real Mother: Instagram vs. Reality

In actuality? Cereal on the floor, cold coffee, and the third time in an hour of shouting, "PUT YOUR SHOES ON."

I made the decision this week to contrast what actually transpired with what I could have posted.

I am fed up with the immaculate grid acting like this work is simple. It isn't. However, it is real, and that in itself has a certain beauty.

Monday Instagram Post: Me pushing a stroller on a morning stroll while dressed for exercise. "Endorphins and fresh air to start the week! #MomLife"

Reality: Since I slept in leggings, I put them on. The banana snapped in half, and my child lost it. After five blocks of walking, he demanded to becarried, and I held the three rocks he discovered, the scooter, and the water bottle.

I was hot, angry, and already running late for work when I got home.

 "Developing a young reader through #IntentionalParenting"

Reality: I only got him to sit on the couch by promising him screen time afterwards. The book was ninety seconds long. After licking the cover, he suggested that we watch "Blippi" instead.

Yes, I replied, eating Goldfish from a bowl I discovered in the laundry basket while scrolling through my phone.

Wednesday Instagram Post: Quinoa, roasted vegetables, and homemade chicken nuggets on a vibrant supper dish. "A properly prepared family dinner! #WhatWeAteWednesday”

The truth is that only one child ate. The carrots were "too orange," so the other one sobbed. My plate was not warm even after I put it in the microwave three times.

I got into a fight with my boyfriend over the dishes. After bed, we quietly ate Oreos on the couch.

Thursday Instagram Post: My child is grinning by the front door after getting ready for school. "All set for an exciting educational day! #MomWin”

Reality: I forbade him from wearing a Halloween costume in April, so he yelled for twenty minutes.

The grin bribed with a bar of granola.

After drop-off, I sobbed in the car because I was so overcome with remorse.

Friday Instagram Post: A photo of my spotless living room with windows letting in natural light. "I have finally finished the housekeeping! #WeekendReady”

Reality: The apple juice spilled on the rug, the laundry pile behind the couch, and the sticky finger prints on every surface are all obscured by the camera angle.

The housekeeping? Not for satisfaction, but for survival.

I was too tired to socialize, so I canceled plans.

What Is Not Shown in the Pictures

The mental strain of keeping track of every appointment, snack, and permission form is not depicted.

When they snap too loudly, they do not display the parent remorse that follows.

They do not depict the intense, soul-stirring moments of love that appear in a dark room at three in the morning, calming a fevered brow.

What is the takeaway?

The squares are not reliable.

Keep your behind-the-scenes footage separate from other people's highlight reels.Additionally, if your real life does not fit into a filter, please, please do not be so hard on yourself.

Because this—this actual, messy, clamorous, and sticky form of motherhood?

It is sufficient.

You are sufficient.