I like to browse Facebook as much as the next stay-at-home mama, but in order to enjoy myself, I do have to remember that it's not really real. I don't need to tell you that Instagram and Facebook are inundated with happy posts of happy children and seemingly happy families, which leave many of us thinking, "Wow, they always seems so happy! What's wrong with me [my kids, my husband, my dog . . . ]?" Just remember, social media provides a very skewed reality of parenting. In fact, imagining what might really be going on behind the camera helps a lot, so here are a few (completely made-up, by the way) scenarios that you may find in your news feed — and then what probably actually happened.
"So much for clean clothes #pleasestopfighting" Source: Flickr user Dustin Jensen
"Wonderful family trip to Disney! #HappiestPlaceOnEarth" Source: Flickr user Betsy Watters
"Couldn't get her to ride anything with me #teens" Source: Flickr user Harry Heng
"Made these special cupcakes for my perfect lil girl today #shesgonnabesohappy" Source: Flickr user Giovanni Arteaga
"I guess she wanted pink cupcakes with purple sprinkles #fail" Source: Flickr user Abigail Batchelder
"Daddy is so on haircut duty next time #scarredforlife" Source: Flickr user Eric Ritchey
"Mulch in the shoe meltdown #whydoplaygroundsuseit" Source: Flickr user Kona Gallagher
"OMG, dye everywhere! And on everything! #worstideaever" Source: Flickr user St0rmz
"Another day in the life of raising two children #gonnareusethose" Source: Flickr user Michael Thompson
"My ballerina is ready for her big debut! #futurestar" Source: Flickr user Dan Hatton
"And I paid how much for this? #terrified" Source: Flickr user Paulette and Dave Brown
"Meltdown because he wasn't allowed to pull the animals' tails #purell" Source: Flickr user Joel Kramer