u/Primary_Lychee_3407

I saw someone repost this with the caption on Facebook:

“I love being a mother so much. It is truly my greatest joy. It is the best. I thank the LORD everyday!”

And it made me curious how other moms honestly feel about posts like this.

Do moms genuinely feel this way all the time or do you think social media only shows the beautiful side of motherhood? I feel like motherhood can be beautiful and fulfilling while ALSO being exhausting, overstimulating, lonely, and emotionally heavy depending on the stage you’re in.

A lot of moms become more nuanced in how they talk about motherhood once their kids hit toddler/preschool age because reality becomes less of a fantasy & more of constant responsibility.

Especially because I notice infant moms and toddler moms sometimes describe motherhood very differently😭

I’m single, but this time around I’m looking for something intentional, mature, peaceful & healthy.

So where do y’all meet quality people out here besides the apps? Where are y’all hiding? Work? Coffee shops? The gym? Home Depot? 👀🤣

Yesterday, on Mother’s Day, I spent the day with my mom, grandma & MNL. My BNL & his family came over to our home as well. One of their daughters just turned 1 & she was opening/slamming our cabinets & drawers nonstop while her parents looked completely overwhelmed😭 she even had poop smeared on the back of her leg (due to a heavy soiled diaper) which honestly made the whole thing feel like such a huge REAL parenting moment lol.

They have 3 daughters ages 8, 1, & 4 months old, so I know they’re exhausted right now.

But it made me think about how people always stereotype little girls as being calm/chill/easier than boys when honestly toddler temperament seems way more personality-based than gender-based.

My son has a big personality, is both advanced & tall for his age, is strong-willed & emotional at times, but he has literally NEVER been the type to destroy cabinets/drawers or constantly get into things like that & he’ll be 2 in 3 days.

Meanwhile… I know girls who are fearless little explorers😂

I swear social media has people thinking daughters just sit quietly, wear bows, & play tea party all day meanwhile some of these toddler girls are basically tiny drunk roommates with no survival instincts😭🤣

Seeing parents with multiple kids close in age has made me realize parenting is survival mode sometimes regardless of whether you have boys or girls lol. I thought to myself: “yeah… I’m okay with one.”

I feel like people romanticize daughters sometimes & forget toddlers are toddlers regardless of gender. Anybody else notice this?

Motherhood is so much deeper than flowers, gifts, social media posts, or whether someone remembers to say “Happy Mother’s Day.”

I’ve seen so many posts from moms this morning feeling forgotten, unsupported, exhausted, overlooked, and emotionally drained. Especially moms in the newborn stage. And my heart genuinely goes out to them because motherhood can feel very lonely sometimes.

But one thing I’m learning is this:

A social media post doesn’t automatically equal love. Flowers don’t automatically equal support. Gifts don’t automatically equal peace. And public praise doesn’t always reflect private reality.

Some women wake up to balloons & fancy gifts, but feel emotionally alone, unappreciated, unseen, overwhelmed, or unsupported behind closed doors.

Meanwhile, there are moms quietly showing up every single day:

Running on little sleep. Pouring into their babies. Teaching, nurturing, protecting, comforting, sacrificing, and loving their children in ways nobody fully sees.

That is what motherhood truly is.

One day our babies will grow up enough to understand what we’ve done for them. One day the hugs, drawings, “Happy Mother’s Day” crafts, flowers picked from the yard, and genuine appreciation will come directly from the little humans we raised.

And I think that kind of love will mean the most. 🤍