I have probably said this one million times. But today I felt the need to say it again.

Social media is the highlight reel of everyone’s life, not their reality.

Of their vacation. Of their trip to the park. Their visit to the library. Even their grocery trip with a cart full of fruit, veggies, non-GMO, gluten-free, BPALPRTG-free food.

I am 100% guilty of this. I don’t want to post pictures of my real life on the internet for everyone to see.

I’m not going to take photos of my kids when they are wrestling each other in the playroom they have not cleaned in a month with too many toys, about 49 fire hazards and a poorly placed pair of scissors. They would most likely not have shirts on and my two year old could have a saggy diaper on. OR – heavens no – the line on his diaper is blue and visible, showing that said diaper is wet.

Why don’t I post these photos? (Even though sometimes I do just to make other moms feel better.)

The same reason I don’t post pictures of my kids in their car seats.

PEOPLE CAN BE TROLLS!!! Or assholes. Both words work.

Everyone has an opinion. And it’s not rare that their opinion is the complete opposite of yours. And they could judge you and think you aren’t the perfect mom/dad/parent/caregiver/human.

Well, you know what, screw them. Everyone has flaws. No one is perfect.

I am not going to waste my time being upset that someone thinks my kids aren’t dressed well enough or that my house doesn’t stay picked up.

So why am I so compelled to write about this?

Yesterday was the first day of school. I sent my oldest to kindergarten and it was seriously one of the hardest days ever. I said I would never be that mom but, what do you know, this mom cried and literally thought about her little man all day.

I EVEN SENT THE TEACHER A MESSAGE ON THE CLASS APP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY TO CHECK ON HIM. I now realize that’s the worst. Sorry Mrs. McCollam.

As I was scrolling through social media last night, I saw picture after picture of kids looking adorable and smiling with their cute chalkboard signs with information about their lives, what they wanted to be when they grew up, all their favorite things and their blood types.

It made me feel incompetent. I didn’t make a chalkboard sign. I also did not get an actual picture of my child on the first day.

“WHY THE HELL NOT????” screams every mom with her shit together across the globe.

I tried, but Henry was scared to start kindergarten. He didn’t want to smile for a picture and act like he was excited. His little life was being turned upside down. He is not a fan of change and I needed to try and reassure him that everything would be okay and he would make plenty of new friends and that everyone there would be more than happy to see him.

So if you made a chalkboard and got a great picture of your kid on the first day of school, I won’t lie, I’m a little jealous. I would have loved to have posted that picture.

But my reality is different than that and I’m okay with it. Life isn’t perfect.

Instead, I’m happy that my husband got a picture of his backside and new Minecraft backpack as he walked to the car. Because Henry didn’t know that picture was being taken.

And luckily, at the end of the day, I had a happy, smiling Henry.

So don’t look at social media and think that most moms got their perfect picture in one take and their kids went off to school happy as a clam. I am 100% sure that other moms took a billion pictures before they actually got a good one, or they didn’t even get a picture because they were too busy reassuring their child that school is not the worst thing that will ever happen to them.

At least I hope so. Hahaha.

Until Next Time,

Jamie