Why We Should All Want to be Pinterest Perfect Parents

I would never label myself as a ‘Pinterest Parent’ but amongst my friends, I’m pretty close. Pinterest Parents get a pretty raw deal, achieving an impossible level of perfection while ensuring their offspring have all the enriching childhood experiences necessary to combat growing up in a technology-reliant society.

There was a time when I scoffed at the unrealistic standards set by these parents, clearly intent on making the rest of us feel and look like the kind of parents that feed our kids fish fingers, drink wine after the kids have gone to bed (or before, depending on the day) and, oh wait…

So why have I changed my mind?

Because I realised they aren’t perfect parents, they’re geniuses! My son has started school, he has packed lunches. I prep all his food on a Sunday night for the week ahead, cut his veg into cute little shapes while I catch up on my TV shows and stick it in tupperware in the fridge, to help myself to throughout the week. You want some carrot flowers to decorate your lunch? No problem, and those bell pepper stars? Well, they’re already cut up from a few nights a go and still good enough to eat. Want to pretend you give your children wholesome meals? Here’s a fish taco aka fish fingers in a soft taco cup with some cut up veg, the guacamole is from a squeezy bottle, yet it’s picture perfect.

Those morning activities? I set them up the night before and it earns me at least an extra hour in bed in the morning! They don’t have to be impossible; paper and pencils, threading beads and string, pipe cleaners to untwist, even jigsaw puzzles. Quiet activities which are perfect for my early risers. I have sandwich bags full of board games that I can pop into their bags and pull out during a plane journey to keep them occupied. I put a photo up on Facebook of my 2 year old’s morning activity ‘exploring colour mixing with a seasonal theme’. I then sat and drank a HOT cup of tea and watched some Netflix while he painted a fake pumpkin and drowned it in glitter. He covered himself in paint and glitter, which meant I could sit him in the bath for another ‘fun activity’ using cups to ‘explore measuring liquids’ while I popped the washing machine on and had another HOT cup of tea.

I’m not creating more work for myself, I’m creating more time for me to do ME things. Oh and of course making sure my kids are appropriately stimulated which is a bonus I suppose.

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