Instagrammable
Instagram recently announced that they are removing the ability to see 'likes' on other people's photos. This is supposed to help combat an epidemic of mental health issues that has been attributed in part, to chasing engagement on social media channels.
I get that, but I want to counteract the narrative that social media contributes to poor mental health: Instagram has, at times over these past months, been an absolute lifeline for me.
Yes, it's difficult to remember *not real life* or *not all life* when confronted with pictures of smiling, happy, skinny new mums; or perfectly clean houses; or goofy, cute, non-screaming babies - but there is a community of amazing women, work-at-home or stay-at-home mums, or working mums, creative and creating mums, and this sense of us all just trying our best and sharing the good things has been amazingly uplifting. You see, we KNOW that this one picture of a perfect, giggly baby is the only one out of four-thousand blurry, tantrum-ridden, snotty snaps, and we want to commemorate; not brag.
I used to write blogs all the time; I used to take and edit photos; I could speed read like a tornado. Then it felt as though my brain melted out of my ears; my body shut down, and I could barely remember how to type, let alone find the time to.
That's where Instagram came in: a quick flatlay, integrated editing, and a small space for a caption is less threatening, less demanding than the blank page of a new blog post. Seeing other parents pictures, play ideas, problems and solutions has inspired me, and I've connected, or reconnected with friends through this strange social medium.
I know I, too, am guilty of whitewashing my life (literally as I love a clean, white background!) and I've had other mums tell me that they don't know how I find the time: two minutes while the kettle is boiling for the baby's bottle to set up a photo, and a caption that can be typed one-handed during a night-feed. It's a quick, creative outlet for me that has helped me feel as though I still have a little agency outside of being *just* a mum.
And if people Like that, then that's lovely too.
 |
| @dandtmakesthree on Instagram |
Yes, it's difficult to remember *not real life* or *not all life* when confronted with pictures of smiling, happy, skinny new mums; or perfectly clean houses; or goofy, cute, non-screaming babies - but there is a community of amazing women, work-at-home or stay-at-home mums, or working mums, creative and creating mums, and this sense of us all just trying our best and sharing the good things has been amazingly uplifting. You see, we KNOW that this one picture of a perfect, giggly baby is the only one out of four-thousand blurry, tantrum-ridden, snotty snaps, and we want to commemorate; not brag.
I used to write blogs all the time; I used to take and edit photos; I could speed read like a tornado. Then it felt as though my brain melted out of my ears; my body shut down, and I could barely remember how to type, let alone find the time to.
 |
| The one picture out of a million |
I know I, too, am guilty of whitewashing my life (literally as I love a clean, white background!) and I've had other mums tell me that they don't know how I find the time: two minutes while the kettle is boiling for the baby's bottle to set up a photo, and a caption that can be typed one-handed during a night-feed. It's a quick, creative outlet for me that has helped me feel as though I still have a little agency outside of being *just* a mum.
And if people Like that, then that's lovely too.
Comments
Post a Comment