[aniham]

I often read about moms feeling bad because of other moms' perfectly curated instagram feeds. As someone who doesn't remember ever feeling instagram envy - and btw all photos of my adorable children that I post are adorable :) - I must admit I'm envious of people whose feelings of sadness and inadequacy are cased by things farther removed from day to day life. For me the most disheartening feelings are usually the result of interactions with people close to me, mother and mother in law particularly so. Nine years after becoming a parent I still am unable to not let it phase me when my mother says "oh, they never act in this [terrible] way when you're not around" or when my mother in law asks "oh, did you want to brush her hair before the family photo?" "did you want me to get some cute plates for her birthday party so she feels special?". I'm sure much it can be helped by me just growing thicker skin - but I do feel lonelier sometimes when I think, people worry about instagram, they don't often talk about family making them feel like they are not good enough, I guess it is me.