by: Lindsay Hutton
The "MommyJacker"
Of course, we all know parenting is amazing, and hard, and priceless, and life-changing, and a whole slew of other things that can't adequately be put into words. But, parenting isn't the end-all and be-all of everything. Sometimes we all just need a kid-free zone!
The "Super-Mom"
How many times have you seen this status? And how many times has it made you feel bad? Parenting is challenging enough without having to compete with a non-existent Super Mom's lifestyle (let's face it, nobody has it all together). It's statuses like this that will get a friend blocked from our newsfeed, stat.
The "Patronizer"
Yes, parenting adds a whole new dimension to a lot of emotions and feelings, but that doesn't mean child-less people are unable to feel anything, or that they "don't understand." Anyone can be tired, jobs can be stressful, people can be over-extended, and love is a real emotion for everyone. Trivializing the lives and emotions of those who don't have kids or share the same experiences will only come across as condescending and smug. Everyone deserves a little empathy!
The "Over-Sharer"
As moms, bodily functions, boogers, and various forms of vomit may be part our routine, but not everyone wants to hear about that daily joy. If a status has the word "poop," "circumcision," "nipple," or anything else that would qualify as TMI, please, for the sake of all your friendships, leave it off the Internet.
The "Hidden-Bragger"
Ah, masterfully "hiding" a brag in the form of a complaint ... or even better, "hiding" a brag on your husband's public wall instead of sending it through a message. "The baby's 18-month appointment went well today! The doctor was impressed she knows the entire alphabet! Raising a genius over here! Hahaha j/k (winky face)!"
Hmm, sounds like a (not-so) subtle way of fishing for compliments! Yep, that gets the annoying stamp for sure.
The "Comment/Like Phisher"
Racking up the likes and comments can give anyone a small tinge of satisfaction. And we all know it can be addicting to post pictures of the cutest kid in the world doing the cutest thing in the world. So what if it means we post new pictures or videos, ohhhh, every five minutes or so, expecting Facebookland to instantly erupt in delight?
Ok, moms, we may need to take a step back from FB and get more validation from real friendships. Face-to-face interaction is always best, so it always feels better to focus on real-life relationships instead of trying to form a fan club online.
The "Jealousy-Inducer"
We all know babies have their own hits and misses. Some sleep as if they are hibernating for the whole season, while others will convince us that all babies are born nocturnal. Some kids love eating peas and carrots and organic green smoothies, while other parents would trade a limb just to get their kid to eat a bowl of mac and cheese. Still other parents might have a toddler whose idea of fun is sitting quietly reading books, while others have a kid who thinks playing is only fun if it involves high-pitched screaming while finger-painting on the walls of Home Depot naked. We should be allowed to occasionally boast about something our child has done, but it's good to stay humble (even though we do have THE best kids ever.)
The "Fit-Mom"
The "Non-Stop Complainer"
Ah, the non-stop complainer. These posts would make you think being a parent is the worst thing in the world, and we're all guilty of them. Yes, sometimes we just need a good venting session, but let's not scare off all those child-less friends out there, or they'll turn into the smug ones!
