Why Social Media is Ruining Motherhood

Let’s cut the crap.

You’re sitting there, scrolling through Instagram while your kid is wiping peanut butter on the dog, and BAM—there she is. That mom. Her kitchen looks like it came out of Architectural Digest, her toddler is eating a quinoa salad, and she’s glowing like she just got back from a yoga retreat in Bali.

Meanwhile, you and I are still in yesterday’s leggings, microwaving chicken nuggets for the third time this week, and wondering when you last drank water and not coffee.

Welcome to social media motherhood—where perfection is filtered and chaos is cropped out.

The Bullsh*t Highlight Reel

We all know social media is fake. So stop it. Yet somehow, it still gets us.

Every mom on Instagram seems to be running a side hustle, training for a marathon, meal-prepping organic snacks, and still has time to host a perfectly themed birthday party with balloon arches that cost more than your rent.

But where’s the footage of her hiding in the bathroom with a glass of wine? Or the moment her kid full-on loses it in Target because they can’t have the blue cup? Oh right—but that doesn’t match the aesthetic.

The Comparison Black Hole

It’s almost laughable how fast we go from “I’m doing fine” to “I’m the worst mom ever” after 10 minutes of scrolling.

You see that post of the mom who packed cut-out star-shaped sandwiches and suddenly feel guilty for throwing a granola bar into your kid’s lunchbox. Or the mom in size 2 jeans two weeks postpartum—meanwhile, you’re still trying to figure out if maternity leggings are acceptable forever.

It’s toxic. It’s dumb. And yet… we find ourselves here.

No One’s Actually That Put-Together

Here’s the truth: No one has their sh*t together all the time.

Not the influencer mom with the dreamy playroom. Not your friend who swears by Montessori everything. Not even the moms who pretend they "love every moment" (please….don’t get me started on this. I’ll save this for another day and/or blog).

We’re all winging it. Some of us are just better at pretending.

How to Stop Falling for the BS

1. Unfollow the Fakery.
   If someone’s feed makes you feel like crap, unfollow. PLEASE. Protect your peace.

2. Post the Messy Stuff.
   Show the tantrums. The sink full of dishes. The “I’m losing it” moments. You’d be surprised how refreshing honesty is.

3. Talk Real with Real People.
   Find the moms who’ll admit they fed their kids cereal for dinner and called it a win. Those are your people.

4. Stop Performing.
   You don’t need to prove anything. Not to Instagram, not to your in-laws, not to the judgy moms at school pickup.

Final Thoughts (Or The Pep Talk You Didn’t Know You Needed)

Motherhood isn’t a performance. It’s messy, loud, exhausting, and occasionally beautiful in ways you can’t put a filter on.

So, let’s stop pretending we’ve got it all together. Post the chaos, admit when we’re drowning, and quit comparing ourselves to some mom on the internet who probably cried in her car before taking that perfect selfie.

You’re doing fine. Your kid is fed, loved, and (mostly) clothed.

That’s the real flex.