Comparison Games

Are you a victim of the social media entrapment? This entrapment boasts of perfection. It snares the innocent-minded mother and binds her with feelings of inferiority. Our friends’ perfect lives are plastered all over social media. Envy creeps in, and before long disdain fills our lives.

A friend posts a calming picture of their mug of coffee and a good book, along with happy children. You haven’t even had breakfast, and your children are running around refusing to get dressed. It’s easy to feel like a failure when others have ‘perfect’ lives. Their children are well-behaved and never throw fits. Your children fight and have tantrums. Does it mean you are a bad mother? No!

Every child has a different personality and mood. Some days your children are cooperative, and others are like little cubs clawing at you until they get their way. Children feed off their mother’s demeanor. When you’re tired and barely surviving, it’s easier focusing on the negative. A picture only shows what the photographer wants you to see. It doesn’t show the countless pictures taken to reach that perfect shot. No one is perfect. The perfection seen on social media is a fake.

Another friend shows pictures of her magazine-worthy home, clutter-free and spotless. Children flood your home with toys and chaos. Your home is too small, and you have too much stuff. If you let it, discouragement will set in your heart. Managing a home is hard work. There will always be dirty clothes, dishes, and messes to clean up. When negativity engulfs, you remember something important. Your house reflects life. Your children ate off those dishes and wore dirty clothes. Even though messes are unpleasant, it’s a sign of God’s blessings. Are messes blessings? They are blessings in disguise. A lived-in home is full of laughter and joy. Children don’t stay small long. Focus on the bigger picture of life, and thank God for the lives you get to mother and love. Give yourself grace as you clean up the messes of life, and smile because you’re encompassed about with precious lives that love you.

When was the last time your husband sat by you and held your hand? A certain social media friend boasts of date nights and alone time weekly. Her husband sends her flowers and cherishes her. Did you marry the wrong man? Probably not but life gets overwhelming, and it’s hard to see the love that once was. Never forget your companion as life rushes by. Embrace modified date nights during the hectic years and hold his hand and never let go.

Are homeschool moms free from this entrapment? Definitely not!  It’s easy seeing how functional someone else’s school is. Their children have no learning problems, and they breeze by each lesson while you’re in tears trying to get your son to focus. Children learn at different speeds, and they are not comparable. Focus on building relationships and offering grace when school is too hard to manage.

The comparison game is a tool of Satan. He likes to discourage and defeat us so much that we are useless. Let’s stand strong and encourage one another and not fall victim to his schemes.

Hi, my name is Jessica. I am married to a wonderful husband and we have six children, 1 girl and 5 boys. God has blessed my life. He is too good to me. I try to juggle homeschooling, housework, and writing. I have self-published a couple of books. You can follow me on my Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/theaspiringwriter/