Viral Post is a Reminder for Parents about Social Media

Madison Vining, mama of six, recently posted an honest message that went viral on Instagram. In it she described how we can’t really have the full picture of someone’s life just by what they post on social media. It’s little fragments of their life, which probably leave out the really good moments when people decide to put the phone down to be present, and also the really bad moments they don’t want documented.

The post, which has almost 12,000 likes and hundreds of comments, received a lot of praise from other parents thanking her for hitting the nail on the head.

The post reads:

“Instagram stories. Let’s talk.

If someone uses the maximum amount of stories allowed in a day (all the teeny tiny dots) guess what? All together, it totals less than an hour of their 24-hour day. Does that surprise you? It’s true. It’s a peek of 1/24th of their day. Furthermore, it’s probably the calmest parts. After all, when was the last time you got into a fight with your husband and thought “Hang on, let me insta-story this!” or had your hands full of screaming babies and thought “Hang on… let me try and hold a phone, too!”

I really want to challenge you.

Before you look at her life and become jealous: you likely did not see her raise her voice as she struggled through schoolwork with her kids, or her picking up trash after the dog ripped it up and dragged it all over the driveway, or her doctor give her a terrifying diagnosis, or her son’s preschool teacher call and say he’s been a problem… Again. Or her crying because she hates her body and hasn’t felt like herself in so long. Or her going to bed each day feeling guilty and like she didn’t do enough for everyone. Or her husband being out of work. Or her dad who walked out on her as a kid and it still hurts. Or her burning dinner and yelling a swear word in front of her kids.

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Yeah, you don’t see all the bad.

But you know what? Before you look at her life and become critical, know that you didn’t see her singing worship music and taking extra time as she changed her baby’s diaper. You didn’t see her driving all the way to recycle center when the trash would have been easier. You didn’t see her close her laptop, close her eyes, and stop to pray for someone she doesn’t know. You didn’t see her tell her daughter, “Just keep killing them with kindness, baby” as she sobbed in her arms about a bully. You didn’t see her give up “me time” to prioritize date night with her husband. You didn’t see her take her oldest to lunch. You didn’t see her anonymous donation.

You don’t see a lot of the beautiful things that happen in her life and in her heart, because they’re sacred and the first thought that pops into her mind isn’t, “I should grab my phone right now.”

You don’t see it all. Be kind to one another.”

Thank you for saying what many think, mama.