To wonder why parents lie on social media?

[saveusernamee]

It’s rife, maybe I live/have lived under a rock.

Only recently noticing however that all these cutesy pictures of babies and children and cute captions, having me looking at them thinking how have I lucked out so badly with how difficult I find child rearing?

Then you message them privately and it all pours out, all the same crap you’re going through. Why not say ‘this was the only time my child smiled today so I took a picture’ why say ‘the bestest, most magical day with my precious little smiler’ ?

Every time I post something realistic literally nobody, or maybe an adorning aunt/grand parent engages with it but you post a photo of essentially a lie and everyone and their dog engages. Why?

None of this was put on SM at all but I went out for a meal yesterday. I could have posted either of the following:

Lovely post-race roast dinner with the family.

or

A saga about DS1's meltdown because he was over-hungry and how DS2 was left at the table while I took DS1 outside because nobody else in the restaurant wants to have their dinner ruined by a 10yo channeling Victor Meldrew crossed with Kevin the Teenager.

Both of which are true.
But which would be nicer to read, and which is more fair on DS1 to an audience who is mostly aquainted with him?

I don't go down the sickly hyperbole route of #bestmealever #makingmemories, nor dwelling on the negative.

I can be self deprecating or comment on the amusing slapstick end of fails. So I might share moments like how my (ironic) #winningatlife moment of getting the school t-shirts dry by 8:30am moment turned into crushing failure by 8:55 in the school playground when it turns out it was fancy-dress. But it would be done with humour and minimal FMAL.

It is honest. It is also edited for preserving the modicum of dignity that we cling on to

I don't live local to any family so put some photos on Facebook of my children. I try and put the nice ones up.

I wouldn't want them to know if I'm having a hard time for various reasons- many have their own, far worse struggles (and others it's none of their business). I don't do the whole 'feeling blessed' thing but may say we've had a nice weekend away and leave out bits about tantrums and lack of sleep.

I found your second description more humorous bogof, I’d prefer to read that one because it would have made me laugh as I scrolled. Adding a bit of humour to the reflection changes it completely.