Sitting on the couch contemplating life.

Parenting Expectations vs. Parenting Reality

Parenting Expectations vs. Parenting Reality

How many of you scroll down your Facebook news-feed or Instagram feed and think to yourselves “wow, that momma got it together!”  It’s OK if you do, I do the SAME THING!  Some things that go through my head are as follows: 


  • “Look how clean their house is compared to mine”
  • “Their child is eating their veggies, I wish my kids would eat their veggies”
  • “Look how well behaved their children look..”

Then once I am done spending what seems like hours on social media, I look at my own children and feel this sense of ‘unaccomplishment’ [i'm pretty sure that isn't a word but I like it].  I feel like the ultimate failure at life at that very moment.  And you know what...I shouldn't.  We shouldn't.  We have to remind ourselves that what we see other parents post on social or other influencers' posts may not actually be their “reality”.  They only want to post their highlight reel, to show the good stuff.  No parent actually shows “the bad”.  They don't show you the meltdowns, or the lunch time messes or my personal favorite..the night time tantrums.  No one shows those because they're not “attractive”. 


But sometimes all you need is a little realness in your life.  Something to show you that “ok this is normal...i'm not a terrible mom.”  We need to remember this as we look at social media...people are only posting the good things and not the everyday struggle that we as parents deal with!  


So, to make you feel better: here is a recap of what mom life really looks like in my house!


  • I have 2 baskets of laundry to fold...one is from 2 days ago [sorry, not sorry]
  • Sink full of dishes that need to be washed or put in the dishwasher
  • Haven’t showered yet today...at this point at night [8:10 pm] I’ll just take one in the morning 
  • Jamison is passed out on the couch, Bexley is in her room watching Netflix on her tablet [yes my child has a tablet, no I will not limit her tablet time because she is QUIET and not bothering me with her usually a million and one questions]
  • Where is my husband??? I swear he squirrels off often….[insert face palm]
  • Oh, speaking of laundry, I have 3 baskets that need to be washed still.  Because my daughter thinks she needs a new outfit every 3 hours 
  • Wait...my daughter's tablet died.  Now she is s l o w l y asking me a million and one questions

So what I am trying to say is...don't judge your book by someone else's cover!  Because I like your book WAY better than theirs :)

[aka...do you momma, don't let these Influencers bring you down]

 xoxo,  Jennifer

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