Bored Panda got in touch with Elisabeth, the creative mind behind ‘One Awkward Mom’. She launched the meme page three years ago and has grown it to 130,000 followers.
“I’ve met so many people through the Instagram parenting community, made friends, and even met a few in person,” she told us.
As a mom of three, Elisabeth takes inspiration from real life, “I have a note in my phone full of daily experiences, conversations and incidents that I can pull from to make content.”
Through ‘One Awkward Mom’, she likes to shed light on all the hard and chaotic moments, making them feel more manageable. “The amount of comments I get from people saying ‘that never happened’ always makes me laugh because I would never have believed [this] either until I had kids.”
Speaking of tough times, research shows that almost 60% of parents across the US are experiencing burnout caused by pressure to be the perfect carer for their children.
Laura, the creator of ‘Worn out Working Mum’ on Instagram and TikTok, who also documents her journey online with honest, unfiltered stories, agrees that those who do not are a rare breed. “If you find [one], we need to capture and study them,” she told Bored Panda.
Laura became a mom for the first time in 2018 after suffering through a series of miscarriages. Because of this, she felt like she owed the world a debt for giving her the child she’d always dreamed of. Grateful, she didn’t want to complain about any struggles, which made the whole experience as a mom isolating.
A year after having her second child and returning to work, Laura got overwhelmed. Juggling a job and parenting was challenging, friends were hard to come by, and she was often sick. In a move entirely out of character, Laura filmed a video of herself ranting about bridging childcare over the school holidays and uploaded it to social media.
The ‘Worn Out Working Mum’ knows there’s no universal fix for burnout, but a few things make a difference for her. Laura believes spending time outside, like going for a walk, really lifts her spirits. Prioritizing sleep is her golden rule—leave the mess and seize the moment to rest when your children are asleep. If you're caring for a sick child, don’t apologize. Instead, say things like, “Thank you for bearing with me” or “Thanks for your patience”.
Many parents can’t shake off the fear of being judged. As difficult as it may be, Laura advises to ignore other people’s opinions and let them be. She encourages: “From posting that slightly manic video of yourself on social media, asking another mom to have a coffee with you, or letting your child primarily eat one food group for several weeks straight, write your own story, not someone else’s”.
Sometimes taking care of your own emotional needs can feel like a job, but it’s important not to be too hard on yourself. After all, parents that show themselves kindness and compassion, rather than being overly critical, tend to be more confident and less prone to parental depression.