Pinterest Has It All Wrong

Feeling pressured? Tired? Overworked? Feeling like there’s just not enough time to be the creative Pinterest mom you’re able to be? You and me both. Today, I’m throwing in the reigns, I’m raising the little white flag.

Whispering, “Pinterest… I surrender to thee.”

You don’t owe your child the Style Me Living Nursery. I blame Etsy and I blame Pinterest for this one. My first nursery round was very matchy-matchy and it was very expensive. Hello… I was only 21 and a first time mom, we’ll let that one slide a bit. It might be for your own pleasure and safe-haven to have a room that you personally feel comfortable in, but there’s really no need to break the bank at Pottery Barn, Land of Nod or Etsy on all the nursery needs just because you’re able to find perfectly dreamt up Pinterest boards online. You can find great deals and look alikes from friends, thrift stores, garage sales and online garage sale groups too! Chances are it’ll be precious anyway, a room built for a little human filled with little things is always going to be cute and heart warming to most. (Just make sure you have access to music, white noise and Netflix on those really late nights.)

You don’t owe your child a Pinterest-worthy birthday party. I have feelings for you Pinterest and partially myself for allowing my son to help plan his Super Hero birthday party via Pinterest last year complete with his own Pinterest board. Who am I? Mrs. Money Bags? Hundreds of dollars later – No. Never. Ever. Again.

You don’t owe them the latest and greatest Top Toy this holiday season. Seriously, turn the channel – get off the little kids channels. Get off Pinterest. They’ve got it all wrong.

You don’t owe your child 120% undivided attention in the yard or at the park. Let them adventure! Let them get dirty. There will be bumps, bruises and lots of sand. Stop giving into the articles, screen-free time and DIY summer activities plastered all over the internet. You’re not a bad mom because you find your thumbs scrolling the phone at the park or in the yard. Sometimes, when our kids are outside playing, this is the only time we have to unwind and catch up with a girlfriend – even if it is via text or snapchat (whatever that is). Yet, when there is that sweet moment, switch over to camera, catch it and frame it.

You don’t owe your child bright eyes at 5:30am on a Saturday (OR a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…). That’s just too early and no one should be up that early unless they’re about to make some good money or have an appointment with Justin Timberlake and/or Ellen DeGeneres. Give them an alarm clock and help them learn the basics of time. “You cannot wake mommy up until 7 o’clock. That’s a 7 and two 0’s.” I don’t know where Pinterest falls in that category, but I find it necessary to add.

You don’t owe your child tye-dye toast, “cute and adorable” snacks for the pickiest of eaters and you certainly don’t owe your best friend (no, not even your best friend) a fruit bowl made out of a watermelon with a baby’s head as a perfectly circular carved cantaloupe! Start them young. Provide the goods and provide the good yum-yums (pizza). Build their tastebuds to want vegetables, step back from the processed foods, take out the sugar and they won’t ask for it. Out of sight, out of mind – picky no more. Leave the stress and step-by-steps on Pinterest.

You don’t owe your child ample amounts of screen time. They’re big kids now. They can have a conversation with you when you’re out to eat in public. Get them talking about their day, get them talking about their friendships, get them talking about what the look forward to. If they aren’t old enough to discuss those things, they probably aren’t old enough to be playing the “Top 10 apps for Smart Toddlers” found on Pinterest anyway.

Pinterest has it all wrong, you don’t owe your child.

I didn’t grow up with everything. I never felt like my parents owed me anything yet I’m sure they felt like they owed me more. More presents under the tree, more vacations, more family dinners, more me-time, more-more. I don’t blame them and I don’t blame you for having Pinterest be your go-to resource (it’s mine too!) because I guarantee I’ll feel this need that I owed my children more once they’re not so little. I could have done this, I should have done this, they really deserved this.

That’s not how our love is meant to be given. You give what you can give and they grow into this, no matter the amount. That’s something we need to accept as parents. As long as you keep giving… you, me and our children will quickly realize Pinterest had it all wrong from the start. Happy Pinning?!