Many moms share the frustration of rarely appearing in family photos. I’m the one behind the camera, capturing countless images of my children and their dad. When we gather with relatives, they snap away, creating a treasure trove of memories — but I’m often nowhere to be found. Flip through our family album, and you might think my sister is the actual mother of my children, given how many pictures she has with them compared to me.
Seriously, can someone else please take the camera for a change?
The moms from The Break Womb recently released a hilarious video highlighting this absurdity of moms being missing from photos. Take a look at the family reunion snapshots, and there’s my mom, dad, grandparents, great aunt Rita, and just a hint of my shadow by uncle Ted’s foot. Oh, and here’s one with me — you can see my hair blowing into the frame! Or here’s a beach shot where you can catch my reflection in Timothy’s sunglasses. Isn’t it funny how true this is?
We need to make a point of getting into the pictures, moms! How many of us have little to no visual proof of our presence in our kids’ lives?
One of my favorite posts on this topic came from Allison Slater Tate, who wrote a poignant piece titled “The Mom Stays In The Picture.” She perfectly captured the sentiment: “I’m present in their young lives, yet I have so few images of me with them. One day, I won’t be here — whether that’s tomorrow or decades from now — but I want them to have photos of me. I want them to see the love in my eyes and how I cherished them. I may not be flawless to behold or perfect in love, but I am undoubtedly their mother.”
YES! Moms, let’s get into those pictures!
This article was originally published on Aug. 4, 2016, and if you’re interested in more about family and parenting, check out this blog post for more insights.
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In summary, many moms find themselves behind the camera, capturing moments but missing from the memories. It’s crucial for us to step into the frame, ensuring our children have visual reminders of our love and presence in their lives.