The dreaded "Pinterest Moms, you know the ones. They craft all the things, bake everything from scratch and generally make everyone else feel like crap for not doing the same. So annoying, am I right?

The truth is from afar, and if you squint a little, I could be classified as a "Pinterest Mom," so I'm here to offer another perspective. 

Pseudo Pinterest Mom

I'm fully aware that a "Pseudo Pinterest Mom" telling you to be nice to "Pinterest Moms" will be like nails on a chalkboard for some. 

So, let me tell you why I feel qualified to speak as a mediator between the "Pinterest Moms" and "Regular Moms." 

• Where I excel at spending intense amounts of time baking, planning parties, and DIYing Halloween box costumes, my actual parenting skills are questionable.
  
  
• I'm very sweary.
  
  
• From some angles, my home looks like it belongs in a magazine, yet in other rooms, you'll find a log of shit that's been floating in the toilet for several days and twenty-year-old carpets that are COVERED in purple slime.
  
  
• I'm basically a domestic underachiever whose ultimate dream in life, besides complete and total female empowerment, is to outsource all household chores.

Okay, enough about my credentials, back to discussing the true enemy here, "Pinterest Moms."

Pinterest Moms

I am constantly surprised that "Pinterest Moms" are still a trigger for many, even though most have embraced the "Women Supporting Women" movement.

A mother who is a business mastermind. "Inspiring!"

A mother is a talented artist and shares her gift with the world. "Wonderful!" 

A mother who loves to craft, bake and plan elaborate parties. "Yuck! We could never be friends!" 

Pardon? How does this make sense? I thought we were down with Mom shaming in 2022?

Mama Bears

I suppose I understand. Where our kids are involved, emotions run high. Parents want to give their kids the world, and from the outside, it looks like "Pinterest Moms" are bringing all the magic. 

Which leaves many parents feeling inadequate by comparison. Therefore, Pinterest moms have become socially acceptable punching bags of our time. 

Another Perspective

The problem with this type of chatter is that our daughters hear our micro-aggressions against each other. And that becomes their benchmark of how they speak about other people who are different from them. 

If we want our daughters to feel comfortable in their self-expression and finding their unique gifts, we can't be throwing labels and othering everyone that finds their joy in different ways from us. 

I don't know about you, but I NEED the world to be a little softer for my girls. I need them to feel valued and appreciated for the people they are, even if their talents lay in baking cookies and decorating.

My Proposal

Here is my proposal for next time we feel that itchy feeling of comparison sneak up on us.

1) Let's take a breath and pause.

2) Reframe our words to uplift and find the beauty in another woman expressing her unique zone of genius. 

3) Explore what part of us is being triggered?

4) Remind ourselves of our own strengths and current situation. 

Bonus points:  Tell the woman who has triggering us what we appreciate about her. 

Change starts with us. 

XX

Christine

What change would you like to see in the world for your children's benefit?