My personal social media feed is filled with photos of my kids. I have photos of them eating. I have photos of them sleeping. I have photos of them dressed in every costume and ensemble imaginable. I have photos of them doing absolutely nothing. (Well, except being generally adorable.) I have several pictures of them with their dad. Happy family.
Except, if you look at my Instagram feed right now, you might assume they are motherless.
Sound familiar?
Moms want to capture everything. Put it in a bottle and hold on to it. We don’t want to forget one tiny detail. We want to go back and feel every moment. We want to remember when our toddler used to demand to wear swim goggles and pink leg warmers every day. We want to remember when they smeared their scalp with yogurt to signify the end of the meal. We want to remember those perfect dimples placed next to that million dollar smile. We want to capture all of it for ourselves, so we never forget the simple moments. And we want to hold on to it for our kids to see when they are older.
But why don’t we feel that it’s important for us to get in the picture…when we are such a big part of the picture?
Put Away the Excuses
Sure, we have every excuse in the book. I look old. I look tired. I still need to lose weight. I don’t like my clothes. Or the catchall: I just never like how I look in photos.
Hmm. Well, that’s a little selfish, don’t you think?
(Crickets.)
Yep. That’s what I said: SELFISH.
(Ohhh, snap. She really said it. About moms. Dannng.)
But listen. Your kids deserve to see you in the picture. You, mama. The one who does ALL THE THINGS. Their best friend, their story reader, their PB&J crust cutter, their snuggle buddy, their boo-boo fixer, their tear wiper (their wiper of everything for that matter). You, the one who brushes the hair away from their eyes. The one who flosses the way back teeth. The one who helps them get back on the scooter after a wipeout. The one who loves them to the moon and back. And, perhaps most importantly, the one who is teaching them about loving themselves for who they are.
How can their true story be documented without you in it?
Picture Challenge
So, a challenge. Commit to being in some photos this year. Commit to being in some this week. Start with a selfie or two. Do it for yourself, and do it for them. Step out from behind the camera. If you have a partner, ask them to make an effort to take some photos of you with your kids when you aren’t even paying attention (that’s okay to ask, that is NOT selfish.) Capture the everyday moments.
Or, if you can, hire someone to capture them for you. You’ll never regret the investment. Lots of photographers these days are doing storytelling type photography, so the pressure is off for perfect outfits and well-behaved children. It can all be, dare I say… fun.
And here’s the thing. You don’t even have to share them with anyone. But, you might be surprised to find that you want to. You might find that your Instagram feed suddenly seems more real. You may be shocked at how many “likes” a photo will gather when you are actually in it.
If nothing else, those photos will simply be for you – the reminders of what life felt and looked like right now in this perfectly imperfect sliver of time.
About Erin Brown
Erin is a mom of three and lives in Worthington, Ohio. She is a family photographer with a focus on connection and storytelling, and she is passionate about encouraging all moms to get in front of the camera. She is happiest when holding a good cup of coffee, testing out local ethnic restaurants, or exploring the outdoors with her family. You can find her on Instagram: @erinbrownphotos.
Bio pic credit: her seven-year-old-son 🙂
