Power Down

A few days ago, I asked my friend Becky if she thought that moms have always felt guilt, or like they were being judged, or, worse, that their mothering wasn't good enough. She said, well no, probably not, they didn't have the internet to tell them those things.

How true, I thought.

Before, moms had their family and their friends, and likely, those people were helpful, even encouraging. They didn't have millions of internet "friends" showing them the latest, most beautiful dinner they made, or the most perfect craft they did, or the three perfect children they have (no snot on their faces, not one hair out of place). They had their lives. And their kids, who may or may not have been perfect. They had perfect dinners and pizza boxes. They worked outside the home. They stayed home. They loved their kids.

So, this is what I have to say to you moms who feel like you aren't living up to the internet.

Turn it off. Tune it out. And go play with your kids.

Why?

Because on the internet you put the perfect dinner, but probably not the burnt one. And you put the pretty craft, but probably not the cake pops that fell off the stick (ok, if you're me, you put up the ugly pops because, let's face it, that's hysterical!). And you put the pretty pictures, but probably not the ones of snot laden, spit covered, crying children. The truth is, the internet lies.

So moms. Please, get over yourselves. Get over the fact that the ideal of parenting isn't the real. Mostly because there is no ideal, or perfect. There just is. If you love your child, you provide for her, and you show your child every day that you want the best for him, then you are doing just fine. So power down. Step out of that fake internet life, and into your real one. It's much better, and happier, and more wonderful there, anyway.

Cake pop fail.