Former First Lady Michelle Obama has advice for parents who share their lives on social media: Be less perfect.
In an interview with Parents magazine for the ‘Next Gen Awards,’ Obama complained that too many people are putting on airs of “perfection” on social media.
“Every time we pick up our phones, we see images of families that just look too perfect,” she said. “It makes you think everyone is doing better than you. And that’s just not reflective of reality.”
“It’s so easy for us to curl up into this protective instinct and not talk about the messy or more complicated bits of our lives,” she added. “It can feel dangerous to expose those imperfect parts of ourselves. But over the years, I have learned that it’s really the opposite.”
Speaking more specifically about parenting and her experience as a mother, she says, “Each of us has our own style when it comes to raising kids.”
“So if you’re doing something different than your friends and neighbors, that’s OK,” she added. “Just like our kids, we’re going to have times where we succeed and times when we fail. That’s a part of the journey. We have to recognize that, and give ourselves — and each other — a little grace along the way.”
“When we realize that and learn each other’s stories, it makes living life, as well as raising kids, so much easier.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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