Are you focused more on Pinterest parenting than maybe you should be? Who here is guilty of looking at Pinterest more than their Bible?
**Raises hand, sheepishly.**
I like…no, I love making things for my family. I love getting creative with their birthday cakes and decorations. What began years ago, when we were new parents with very little money; when foods and special cakes were just about the extent of our kids’ birthdays, has grown and turned into a beautiful tradition.
However, I find myself stressing, internally, about everything I do or don’t do. My mommy guilt is in constant limbo between feeling badly about not doing enough, and feeling badly about doing too much.
Our oldest son’s 10th birthday was last week. I spent all day the day before his party, in my pajamas, from morning to night, baking, and decorating, and doing the dishes; baking, and decorating, and doing the dishes, on repeat. I was happy to do it. This is my love language! However, the whole day, I had to turn down invitations to play. I had to lean on my parents and husband to take care of the kids’ emotional, mental, and physical needs, and basically ignore everyone while I worked. Finally, at the end of the night, I asked my mom, “Do you think I am doing more harm than good by putting so much effort into these parties?”
She said, “No, I think your kids will remember these birthdays fondly, and remember all you did to make them special.”
So simple. Moms of past generations did not overthink these things as much as we seem to do now. While I fret over spending too much time cleaning and baking and turning down invitations to play, I also find myself in a guilt riddled panic if I don’t do all of those things for our child’s birthday. Just this August our younger son’s birthday happened to fall on a travel day, returning from a wedding, and I felt terrible!
But here’s the thing. Not every birthday will be the same, not every birthday will be perfect or go exactly as planned. And not everyone will do what I do for their kids’ birthdays. Not everyone likes to bake, not everyone likes big parties. Not everyone is even ON Pinterest (if you can believe that)! And that’s ok!
We will all have different parenting styles. We will all have different birthday and holiday traditions. And it is important to remember that there is literally nothing in the Bible about what we do for our children’s birthdays; whether we make their cakes from scratch or buy them from the store, whether we decorate to the nines or not, whether we give out party favors or not, whether we Pinterest fail or Pinterest win.
Do you know what the Bible says about parenting?
I can tell you, with great certainty, I can’t find it anywhere in the Bible where it says Pinterest is the holy grail of mommy manuals.
It’s just not there.
What is there?
The Bible talks a lot about disciplining and correcting our children. (Proverbs 13:24) It talks of guiding them on the right path. (Proverbs 22:6, Titus 2:7) It talks about not discouraging them or causing resentment. (Ephesians 6:4, 1 Peter 5:3)
These are just some examples, but the list goes on, and the overarching theme is to raise up good and decent human beings who love Jesus and love others. Sounds simple right? Y’all, our generation has made parenting sooooo much more complicated than it should be! Moms, I cannot say this enough; we must get out of our own heads! Be diligent and pray, but stop worrying about every little thing you do or don’t do. Stop comparing yourself to other moms who may do things differently. You cannot even compare yourself as mom of 4 to yourself as mom of 2! Be confident in the parent God has called you to be. He does not make mistakes. He is not a God of confusion. Your steps are ordained, designed to help mold your children into the people God has called them to be.
Pinterest can be a great blessing, or a source of great stress. Seek His Word for council, and Pinterest for crafts. Do not mix up the two, and you will be just fine.