What to do When Hangin' Out on Social Media Sucks...

How many times?, I wonder. 

How many times?, or, When will I ever be healthy enough to handle this?

Because, guys, I don’t do social media well. I just don’t.

I can either be feeling really really great about my life, hop on, and see someone whose good makes my great look inconsequential, or, I can be feeling like a gigantic piece of shit, hop on, and see what appear to be the put-together-lives of no less than ten friends.

A few days ago, my husband and I were chatting about the dilemma facing adults-seeking-real-friendship, and I mentioned we should create a find-a-friend version of Tinder. 

“That’s what Facebook is for!” he said. 

I shuddered. 

“No way, honey. Facebook is a modeling platform; not a friend-finding one.”

Please forgive my negativity, or ignore me altogether if this isn’t you, but damn! 

My life isn’t hunky-dory glorious-beautiful, and yours sometimes really looks like it is. 

The problem isn’t that you’re trying to make your life look better than mine, either. 

The issue is that the one picture you or I post sums up only one small moment.

No way can a picture capture a whole day.

And life happens in long, knock-me-out, drag-me-down kinds of days, folks.

Ideas are good.

I’ve always been an idea person myself. They are really helpful, they are. 

Fun is good too.

But we are all stuck in our houses right now, some of us more happily than others, but shut-ins we are.

House-bound people, whether doing life alone or in small droves, poop in their toilets at various times throughout the day. 

And poop stinks. 

Sometimes, the stench fills the entire house. It muddies the toilet water; it clouds the good.

Then, while we are choking on our family's collective stink, we open our beloved social media, and we see a picture, one that looks decidedly un-stinky. 

Do they even poop?, we wonder. Ever?

Because I’m straining to see, but it looks to me like no one in that pic is holding their noses…

All silliness and sarcasm aside... Guys. 

Some of you are so good at doing the things I suck at. 

Like getting out into nature with your kids.

I really want to get out into nature...

Currently, however, I have one child who is terrified of bugs. And, as luck would have it, every time this child gathers her courage, chances out the door, she has a bad experience with a creepy crawly.

Some of you are doing this whole quarantine thing so creatively, with absolutely no tech. I’m amazed by you. 

Not me. As a mom with no babysitter, I’ve come to appreciate tech. 

It has its place in our house.

Some of you give the best parenting advice and the most stellar homeschool advice. I’ve always known this about you. And I love your wisdom.

Does it always work perfectly for you over there in your house, with your kids, though?

Really?

Sigh. 

I’m happy for you. Truly. 

It’s just that I’ve found sometimes the bestest advice doesn’t work for me over here, in this house.

After a while, I get kinda down and depressed. I shrink to half my size and my voice takes on a childish quality.

And I hate this, because it keeps me from living and loving like I want to.

So lean forward, friends, if you're at all like me; I want to tell you some things that have set me free.

One. 

There is never ever enough time in one day to do all the things. 

I mean, by the time you’ve successfully mixed the right amount of glue with the exact right amount of contact solution, you’ve also hurriedly and simultaneously wiped zillions of little glue trickles off the floor and harriedly de-glued someone’s suspiciously clumpy hair, and you are completely and totally WIPED out. 

Time to go play in your room guys. Enough projects for the day. We’re done.

I'm admitting right now, in front of everyone, I can't do it all. I just don't have that level of energy.

Now, where’s the wine? 

Seriously.

Two.

Are you honestly telling me your kids don’t fight? 

No way could I ever claim this.

No fucking way. 

If we're all getting along, compromising, enjoying the day, someone's abrupt burp is sure to get on someone else's nerves and spoil the mood instantly.

The one perk of my kids’ nattering fighting is that it gets ME out of the house and into nature. Just saying.

Three.

You can’t expect all your kids to like all the same things. 

They are unique little critters. 

They like. They hate. 

They do. They don’t. 

It’s okay to do those separate little things that each kid likes with each kid, separately.

There is this myth of the perfect family that always does everything together, and likes it. 

That’s not our family.

We are miles above mythical.

And by the way, while you’re hanging out with one kid at a time, it’s okay to let the other kids tear up the house, or even play a few video games. 

Four. 

Technology is a thing just like anything else. 

Overdo it, and yes, everyone may develop a case of grouchiness. 

Or, they may not. 

Not all kids react to tech the same way. 

Some grow up to be professional gamers and YouTube reviewers who lead surprisingly balanced lives. 

Some young uns, cough cough, will be inspired to cook or learn history because of their love of the game.

Treat tech like any other hobby. No need to feel guilty about it.

Five. 

It’s okay to need space. 

It’s okay to go on long luxurious walks all by yourself. 

You can even tell your spouse you need time alone. And by alone, I mean, "I’m going to close the door and stay in this room for the next few hours," alone.

Six. 

Just because advice is good doesn’t mean it is good for you. 

Your fam is unique, one-of-a-kind. 

So are you. 

So is your significant other

Yes, we should all be spending time working, playing, socializing, resting, learning, and exercising. 

But that can look however it needs to look for you cocooned there within your own four walls. 

Maybe it will be a day or two of rest followed by two days of learning followed by a day of exercise.

Maybe socializing-from-quarantine, for you, looks more like Marco Polo than Zoom.

Perhaps you’re in survival mode and it all just looks like survival.

It doesn’t have to be perfect or the same for everyone. 

Simply ask yourself...

Are my kids happy? Why and why not? 

Am I happy? Why? Why not? 

What are my values? 

What are my kids’ values? 

Do I agree or disagree with them? 

Why or why not? 

How then shall we live in this one imperfect house so as not to kill one another? Good. Then that is how we shall live. 
Amen.

Seven. 

If you find yourself getting upset when you take social media excursions, like I do, will do, and have done, now’s the time for some introspection. 

Why am I upset by this post or that picture? 

What unspoken rules am I trying to follow? 

Do I agree with those rules? Why or why not? 

Do I have a list of good resources to go to to find answers to the questions I have? 

Am I judging someone else, either for being too put together or for being too strict or not strict enough? 

What does that say about me? 

What pain am I trying to heal with judgements’ ineffective balm?

Eight.

You have permission to ignore all the ideas, mine or anyone else’s.

Go ahead and give yourself permission.

It’s okay to cry a little. 

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed. 

In the voice of Elsa, “Let it go…”.

I value freedom, guys. Can you tell?

Seriously, though. 

These are weird, hard times. And we gotta survive. 

Some of us are extremely privileged middle class folk, though we’re not above job loss and pay cuts. 

We really ought to stop trying to be so perfect (or at least I do) and start looking at the very real needs around us. 

There are those among us facing job loss and financial ruin. 

Some are struggling to find new ways to make ends meet. 

This means that right now we will not be perfect parents, lovers or friends. 

Because, food. #priorities

Some among us are facing a multitude of crises, piled atop each other like shitty scoops of ice cream: illness, death, tornadoes, etc.

I can’t even imagine. 

These are the times to let go of all the rules and the learning opportunities and the projects and to-do’s and just live and love the best we can. 

Let your kids eat ice cream for breakfast and veg in front of the tv all day if that’s what helps you get through this. 

If that does not help you and yours, then stick to a routine.

You do you.

Do what you gotta do.

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All right, now, rant over.

Now I need to take a dump.


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