What We Consider The Norm

It’s funny isn’t it, a picture. They say a picture captures a thousand words (is that the right one?) Well to be honest it’s right. It does… But sometimes it’s allllll the wrong words.

When we were young and our parents got the camera out on us it had to be worth it… You know that disposable with 25 images. So when that disposable came out, you better believe it was because you were having the time of your life and you can look back on those photos with fond memories… Now.. Now it’s totally different, you’ve nipped to the park, and took 25 photos in one go of your little one feeding the ducks, going on the swing, eating ice cream and kissing daddy ALL IN THE SAME DAY, these images build up an idea that you’ve had a day full of the best kind of fun… But what we don’t see is the tantrum when your little angel KICKED THE F*** OFFFFF FOR THAT ICE CREAM then dropped it on the floor quickly after. When actually he was HEADBUTTING DADDY. And the tears when the duck bit him. That’s the reality isn’t it.. The reality is, when he was on that swing,  he shat through his vest, that you saw your dickhead ex with his new girlfriend who you were frantically trying to avoid and that simply all wasn’t as the pictures made out.

I think as parents.. And mothers.. We need to probably (I’m still gonna stage a few fantastic mom photos of course but I promise to add the truthful ones too)  stop this ‘perfect lifestyle pictures’ and give a bit of reality, because at the end of the day we’re all seeing these photos wondering why our lives aren’t going as smoothly.. But behind closed doors we’re all struggling. We’re all dealing with teething (I f***ing hate teeth), tantrums and sleepless nights… And THAT needs to be what we see as the norm.

I’m as guilty as anyone for my perfect pictures. So here’s a picture of reality. Here’s me, sobbing my heart out.. Because in a tickle fight, my son bounced his head off the backboard of the bed. He then wouldn’t sleep. I hadn’t slept properly for three days. I felt guilty because he hadn’t had a ‘proper tea’ like the rest of the moms give and I generally just felt like shit. Turns out. THIS IS THE NORM. not those Instagram filtered photos of a smiley Happy family on the beach. Please, if you’ve made it this far share my post, with a picture of yourself A REAL PICTURE WITH THE HASH TAG #NORMALISEMOTHERHOOD

Written by Bethany Dempsey for her blog, youforgotmysauce.