this genre of instagram mom confessions is off putting - why???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually like when people post the parts of their lives that aren't perfect.

What I don't like (and what seems to be the case here) is IG accounts of women with perfect bodies, perfect homes, perfect clothes/hair/makeup, perfect husbands, perfect children, perfect meals......and the random "see I'm a hot mess too! I'm just like you!" picture.

Uhhh, no, you're not like me. I'm working in sweats with no makeup while my fat husband farts on the couch and my kid eats a frozen pizza and watches YouTube and the floor is covered in toys, with nary a inspirational quote or bible verse to be seen on the walls. B!tch, please, you don't see my mascara running when I cry because I don't have the time to put it on.

The whole thing is designed to get people to pay you money. Look relatable while still having the perfect life, "buy my coaching and you too can have all this!"

Pp you nailed it! THIS is why we are rolling our eyes. I haven’t worn mascara in 6 months.

[Anonymous]

So, this is a mild tangent, but the thread made me think about it.

For the record, I have an Instagram account but it's private, I post like 3 times a year, and when I do it's usually like, a sunset because I super basic.

But I also get super intense migraines and for the last few years, I have gotten in the habit of taking selfies whenever I get one. I don't even know why I started doing it. I think I was lying down trying to text my husband but having a hard time doing it because migraine, and I took a photo either to send him or just because I was messing around. But then I just kept doing it.

The photos are not flattering, of course. And I don't mean they are unflattering in a "my kids looks sad and my mascara is running oh no" way. I mean, they are bad photos. I look like I'm in pain, they are usually from a terrible angle that gives me weird wrinkles and double chins, etc. But I keep taking them. It's become a weird ritual.

I think maybe it's because having a migraine is such a weird experience that is so intense but then when it's over it feels like it never happened except for the weird hangover I get.

Maybe these Instagram posts are like that -- just people having painful private moments trying to document them so they feel more "real". I mean, I find them obnoxious, too -- I am not a big social media person. But when I saw th photo in question, it made me think of my migraine photos, which is also weird and yet I can't stop taking them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, this is a mild tangent, but the thread made me think about it.

For the record, I have an Instagram account but it's private, I post like 3 times a year, and when I do it's usually like, a sunset because I super basic.

But I also get super intense migraines and for the last few years, I have gotten in the habit of taking selfies whenever I get one. I don't even know why I started doing it. I think I was lying down trying to text my husband but having a hard time doing it because migraine, and I took a photo either to send him or just because I was messing around. But then I just kept doing it.

The photos are not flattering, of course. And I don't mean they are unflattering in a "my kids looks sad and my mascara is running oh no" way. I mean, they are bad photos. I look like I'm in pain, they are usually from a terrible angle that gives me weird wrinkles and double chins, etc. But I keep taking them. It's become a weird ritual.

I think maybe it's because having a migraine is such a weird experience that is so intense but then when it's over it feels like it never happened except for the weird hangover I get.

Maybe these Instagram posts are like that -- just people having painful private moments trying to document them so they feel more "real". I mean, I find them obnoxious, too -- I am not a big social media person. But when I saw th photo in question, it made me think of my migraine photos, which is also weird and yet I can't stop taking them.

No one wants to see a "migraine" photo. I hate when people post them for attention on the migraine groups. If your migraine is that bad and real you aren't taking photos.

[Anonymous]

The oh so overwhelmed mom selfie with running makeup (bonus points if it's in the grocery store, Target or in the car outside the store) is one of the most self-serving, pathetic trends in social media.

But I guess it works, because it gets them that desperately needed attention and 5,000 comments repeating some variation of "You go, Mama Bear! I know it's so HARD! You're a strong warrior and you got this!"

Ugh. Mortifying. Secondhand embarrassment for days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see an attention getting picture here. I see a young mother burning both ends of the candle and having no one to help her. She's not saying her life is so wonderful, she's trying to be real. Maybe looking for another to understand.

We women tend to knock each other down and for what ? FOR WHAT ?

I prefer to give her a hand up instead of kicking her when she's down. What happened to empathy ? Understanding ?

LOVING ONE ANOTHER ? WHY DO YOU JUDGE HER ?

I can totally sympathize with her. BTDT had many many crying episodes. Crying cleanses your soul and helps you make it through another day. We're all doing the best we can.

100% disagree. When you had your crying episodes, did you snap a selfie (or 12, and choose the one that looked the best and most pathetic) and vomit it all over social media to beg for Likes and asspatting from acquantainces and strangers? No. You didn't. Nobody said she can't cry to "cleanse her soul." But yes, posting it online is absolutely attention begging, and it's so prevalent that I wonder what we've done wrong in raising so many women who are so fragile. I never, ever see these sorts of posts from guys -- not even those who work 3 jobs and are constantly physically and mentally exhausted or who are single dads of 3 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, this is a mild tangent, but the thread made me think about it.

For the record, I have an Instagram account but it's private, I post like 3 times a year, and when I do it's usually like, a sunset because I super basic.

But I also get super intense migraines and for the last few years, I have gotten in the habit of taking selfies whenever I get one. I don't even know why I started doing it. I think I was lying down trying to text my husband but having a hard time doing it because migraine, and I took a photo either to send him or just because I was messing around. But then I just kept doing it.

The photos are not flattering, of course. And I don't mean they are unflattering in a "my kids looks sad and my mascara is running oh no" way. I mean, they are bad photos. I look like I'm in pain, they are usually from a terrible angle that gives me weird wrinkles and double chins, etc. But I keep taking them. It's become a weird ritual.

I think maybe it's because having a migraine is such a weird experience that is so intense but then when it's over it feels like it never happened except for the weird hangover I get.

Maybe these Instagram posts are like that -- just people having painful private moments trying to document them so they feel more "real". I mean, I find them obnoxious, too -- I am not a big social media person. But when I saw th photo in question, it made me think of my migraine photos, which is also weird and yet I can't stop taking them.

No one wants to see a "migraine" photo. I hate when people post them for attention on the migraine groups. If your migraine is that bad and real you aren't taking photos.

I don’t post or share my migraine photos. But I do take them. Not sure why, but I do. And yes, I can take a photo during a migraine. It’s no harder than, say, opening my bottle of meds or getting a compress from the freezer. Migraines are debilitating but I do have some basic functionality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Instagram mom confessions are off-putting. Heck, instagram posts are off-putting.

My feed is almost all cats and dogs by design. It’s my happy place. I do get weird ads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everyone who posts on Instagram is an obnoxious narcissist. No exceptions. I won't date people who have accounts on it.

Who cares? Is anyone on this thread trying to date you?