Digital society enables mothers to portray their parenthood through selectively shared media content. Social media users watch their screens fill with staged images of immaculate children, spotless kitchens, and perfectly happy family scenes. Parents often present an unrealistic image of motherhood through curated digital content, portraying moms with endless patience, flawless skin, and perfectly behaved children.
Social media showcases impeccably designed photos, while in reality, people lead vastly different lives—marked by sleepless nights, frustrating temper tantrums, self-doubt, and both physical and emotional exhaustion, where even finishing the laundry feels like an accomplishment. Through her book, Lesley Prosko helps mothers recognize the unattainable standards of perfection, allowing them to embrace authentic motherhood in its beautifully untidy state.
The Instagram Mom Illusion
Through social media, users tend to display a modified view of their reality. The Instagram content of moms exclusively features picture-perfect snapshots, showcasing their tastefully matched family outfits, nutritious homemade meals, and delightful parent-child activities. Social media users cannot see the hidden challenges mothers face behind these pictures, as the messes are concealed and fatigue is masked behind their smiles.
This filtered reality sets a standard that makes all mothers doubt whether they are doing enough for their children. The perfect online posts create insecurities in real mothers about their performance and competence, leading to harmful comparisons with unrealistic social media images.
Real Moms, Real Life
The truth is, no mother has it all together all the time. Real moms:
- Have messy homes: Because raising children means constant spills, toys everywhere, and never-ending piles of laundry.
- Lose their patience: Because kids test limits, and parenting is exhausting.
- Feel overwhelmed: Because balancing work, home life, and personal well-being is no easy task.
- Need support, not comparison: Because no one can do it all alone, and the pressure to be “perfect” is crushing.
Lesley Prosko’s book reminds mothers that their worth isn’t determined by the aesthetic of their social media feed. Motherhood is about love, resilience, and showing up every day for your children, even when things don’t look picture-perfect.
Letting Go of the Comparison Trap
If social media makes you feel like you’re falling short as a mom, it may be time to step back and reassess. Here’s how you can reclaim your confidence and embrace your own version of motherhood:
- Remember that social media is a highlight reel. No one is posting their worst moments, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have them.
- Unfollow accounts that make you feel inadequate. Follow real, honest mothers who share the ups and downs of parenting.
- Celebrate your own wins, big and small. Whether it’s surviving a tough day or making your child laugh, those moments matter more than a perfectly curated post.
- Be kind to yourself. There is no “perfect” mom—only the one who does her best every day.
Ending Note
Motherhood isn’t about creating a flawless Instagram feed—it’s about raising happy, healthy kids in the best way you know how. The pressure to be a “perfect mom” is an illusion, and it’s time to embrace real motherhood, with all its beautiful imperfections. Lesley Prosko’s book is a powerful reminder that being a good mom has nothing to do with how things look on the outside and everything to do with the love you give every single day.