Does Social Media and the Internet Help with Parenting?
To learn more about the challenges parents face today and to base our knowledge on more substantial words than the funny parent tweets that we found, we reached out to a lifestyle blogger and a working mom of two energetic girls, Holly Connors. After dedicating a decade to building her career in psychology, Holly is now the author of the acclaimed site Simplify Create Inspire, where she helps families make their lives a bit easier. “Living in a time when information is immediately accessible can be both a blessing and a curse for parents,” she told Bored Panda.
“On one hand, we (and our kids) can quickly find answers to practically anything in an instant,” Holly added. In fact, a 2015 survey from the Pew Research Center found that many parents have extensive support networks to which they turn for advice about any questions they may have. Apparently, 43% of moms and 23% of dads turn to parent websites for suggestions on how best to raise their children, occasionally using social media, such as these parenting tweets on our list or online message boards, for the same reason.
Parenting Expectations - are they Real?
On the other hand, the online world is also the breeding ground for parent shaming. Sometimes, the parent tweets and comments people stumble upon online can make them feel like they lack parenting skills, especially if their homes aren’t squeaky clean or if their children eat anything but home-cooked organic meals. Moms and dads have myriads of expectations piled up upon them, some of them even coming from these very same funniest parent tweets of the week, and it can take a toll to constantly be reminded of all the ways they’re doing things wrong.
Parenting blogger Holly agrees. “We are bombarded with a constant stream of advice and opinions from experts, relatives, friends, and even parent tweets this week or the one past. In the same way, kids are now more connected to their peers and exposed to more media than ever before, which certainly has us facing conflicts, questions, and vulnerabilities.” She added that having great communication with your children will have a big impact when it comes to raising happy, healthy, and well-adjusted kids.
How does the Technological Age Impact Parenting?
When asked about the impact of this technological age on parents, Holly explained there are a few different ways to look at this matter. Naturally, it is extremely beneficial to overwhelmed parents who look for reassurance in other people’s parenting experiences, and even following someone you like for their parenting tweets might be helpful. “Technology allows us to connect with others who we may never have otherwise connected with, with distance and location no longer being a barrier.”
Holly added that the digital world can be wonderful for finding your own unique community, as well as finding friends who can relate to your personal struggles and the motherhood experience. “In this way, technology is an incredible tool for navigating motherhood.”
“For me personally, some of my closest friendships have flourished thanks to technology, despite the distance between us. To find a community of like-minded people that lift you up and make you feel supported is something special that every single mother deserves.”
Taking Social Media Content With a Pinch of Salt
When parents encounter carefully choreographed and curated pictures on social media and poster-perfect parent tweets of others “winning” at parenthood, it may lead to feeling guilt. The danger of falling for these images is that parents will aim for perfection (which doesn’t exist!) and will stop cutting themselves any slack.
For example, psychologist Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco, Ph.D., explained on Parents that moms who engage in social media comparison feel more overwhelmed and less competent as parents. Moreover, they can even feel more depressed than mothers who don’t put themselves in contrast to others.
“If you are jealous of another woman’s seemingly perfect #momlife, consider what areas of your life are enviable,” the psychologist wrote. “The truth is that there are so many different areas in which moms can excel due to their talents or interests or circumstances (or all of the above). Usually, most moms will excel in a few different areas, but no one will excel in all of them. It’s important to recognize that you can play to your strengths, and other moms can play to theirs, and it doesn’t mean that any of you are better or worse mothers.”
Is Parenting all Work and no Play?
Holly pointed out that we sometimes see parenting as grueling work and forget how incredibly rewarding this journey of raising kids can be. “Seeing your children grow and develop into their own unique individuals is one of the most special things in the world. Cherish these moments, even when they are challenging because they will be gone before you know it.”
“Lastly, don’t forget to take care of yourself! As mothers, we often put our own needs last, but it is so important to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. When we are happy and healthy, we are better able to show up for our families in the ways that we want to,” Holly concluded.
And if you’re looking for some well-earned comedic relief formulated for parents, continue scrolling through our list of funny parenting tweets!
