As I browse through my social media feed, I come across countless images of my kids and the adventures we’ve embarked on together. There are nature shots, amusing memes, and an oddly high number of pictures of a tree I adore, mixed in with an array of self-taken selfies that scream, “Please, just get me in a photo!”
If I want my children to remember me as more than just the woman who handed them toast and chased them around with a hairbrush, I need to find a way to appear in our family album. Selfies seem to be my only option for capturing my role in our lives. I desperately want to be present in my children’s memories, not just as that mom who scrubbed countertops or sneaked chocolate in the bathroom.
When I ask someone to take a family portrait, it quickly becomes a saga. There’s the inevitable eye-rolling, the complaints of having to stand still and smile for a brief moment—an ordeal that seems to ignite a competition among my relatives to see who can be the most uncooperative. I love them dearly, but they can be downright infuriating.
And so, the selfies continue. Here’s me hiking with my family—selfie time! Joelle, capturing moments at the carousel. Here’s me in our new van, another selfie. Me at the lake, trying to snag a photo. I’m constantly attempting to fit myself into the frame, yet despite being with my kids all day, there are hardly any pictures of us together unless I’m the one holding the camera.
Moms are often the memory keepers, the ones who say, “We’re going to create wonderful memories, and I’ll make sure everyone remembers them!” I’m the one who organized the outings, packed the lunches, and located all the missing items so we could actually leave the house. I added the magic to those moments. I deserve to be in those family photos.
Honestly, I’m not fond of taking selfies. They feel awkward, and I’m not the best at it. I’m no millennial, so I often feel lost when it comes to angles, filters, and all that jazz. Do I hold the camera up high or down low? Am I doing this right? Most of the time, I just aim the phone at my face and hope for the best.
So, please, someone, anyone, take a picture of me so my kids won’t think my face is as vast as North America. I crave candid shots of our daily lives—pictures of us laughing, snuggling, and having fun together as a family. In 20 years, I won’t care that my hair was a mess or that I wasn’t wearing makeup. I’ll just be thrilled to see a real photo of myself that wasn’t a selfie. A snapshot of me being present, enjoying time with my kids. I was there, I had a blast, and I was so much more than just the voice reminding them to stop changing outfits every five minutes.
I know I’m not the only one feeling this way. In two decades, our kids will probably think we were glued to our phones, always asking, “Take a picture with me! Smile! Seriously, stop sticking your tongue out!” Let’s all commit to capturing more images of moms—because let’s face it, we’re not great at taking pictures of ourselves.
For more insights on parenting and family bonding, check out our other blog posts, including this excellent resource on pregnancy and home insemination from the CDC, as well as insights on fertility boosters for men.
Summary
Capturing family memories is vital for moms who often find themselves behind the camera rather than in front of it. This article discusses the challenges of getting family photos and the desire for candid moments to be documented. It reflects on the importance of being present in children’s memories and encourages others to help capture those moments.