Okayest Mom Alert: I Am Not a Pinterest Mom

When I was pregnant with G, I did what pregnant ladies do:

I perused Pinterest pinning all manner of arts and crafts and activities and lists and things that would inevitably make me the PERFECT mother.

And, at some point, I realized that I was  never going to be “that” Pinterest perfect mom. And in a hormonal moment I banned myself from Pinterest because I knew I could not accomplish all I had pinned.

Because I felt like I had already failed as a mother. 

Is that dramatic? You betcha. But, pregnancy hormones are dramatic.

I’ve learned quickly that self-inflicted pressure, hormones, and overall feelings of inadequacy will steal the joy right out of motherhood. I am not interested in that nonsense. I’m going to soak up every ounce of joy that I possibly can.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I am MORE than OK with being an OK mom.  Not every day is made for Pinterest. And that is OK.

This is not a celebration of mediocrity, this is giving myself permission to breathe. To not worry about perfection because perfect doesn’t exist.

I’ve decided to not judge myself as a mother by the crafts we create, or how organic her food is, or whether or not she’s speaking latin by pre-k.

My daily standards for myself are far more simple:

Did we laugh?

Did she do something she was proud of?

Was our time together quality?

If at the end of the day she and I have shared laughter and have done something that is helping her to love learning new things? Well, success.

Pinterest has its place, to be sure.  And I do love it for many reasons!  But let’s just keep it in perspective and use it as something that we can reach for on a rainy day or special occasion or on a day that you are just ROCKING IT and feel like having a supermom moment.  Pinterest is an OPTION. Not a requirement. Nobody leads a Pinterest-perfect life. Nobody.

Maybe Pinterest isn’t your Achilles Heel in motherhood. Maybe it’s blogs, or your Facebook feed, or walking into your neighbor’s seemingly-perfect house. Please remember that comparison is the thief of joy and whatever you are, wherever you are, is perfectly OK. Your children think you are the best thing ever and they just need YOU.

Actual Pin on my Pinterest Feed.
WHO HAS TIME FOR THIS?

There are some things that the internet can’t help you with:

I don’t need Pinterest to tell me that chasing my daughter as she crawls away from me is what will bring her the biggest of belly laughs

I don’t need Pinterest to show my daughter how to use (and love the heck out of) her xylophone toy.

I don’t need Pinterest to dictate how I feel about myself as a mother.

I’m going to go with my gut on that.  And my gut tells me that I’m doing OK.

Maybe even the Okayest.

P.S. My first blog over at the OKC Moms Blog is up today. Head on over there and check it out!

Posted by Kelly & filed under Motherhood. This post has 5 comments.