Earlier this week, I shared a post on my FB page about an article entitled, “The Mom Stays in the Picture“. This article, written for Huffington Post was an eye opener for a lot of people for so many different reasons (myself included). I initially didn’t know what to make of the article from the title but it caught my attention. I could immediately relate to the author, Allison Tate, when she talked about showing up late to a party because she was still nursing and couldn’t find anything that fit right. Although my nursing days are long gone (*insert happy dance here*), I immediately remembered all of the times I had to change my clothes more than once or twice because I wouldn’t be able to gain easy access to the milk supply.
For the most part, I’ve never really had an issue in getting in the picture with my kids. I make sure that we take family pictures every year because I want my kids to be able to look back on how everyone looked and how much fun we had. Ever since my husband and I got married in 2005, the tradition we (ok…I) started has always been to send photo Christmas cards to our family and friends. When our son was born in 2005, I decided that he was the only one that really needed to be on the card since he was our first born. Last year, we only had pictures of the kids on the cards because it was the first time we weren’t able to get pictures of the whole family in time for Christmas cards. It never even crossed my mind that my friends and family cared whether or not mommy and daddy were in the picture with them. But after posting this article on FB, after initially seeing it on a friend’s page, I realize that maybe people do actually care to see the whole family, and not just the kids. So, it made me wonder if anyone else ever had these thoughts?
But Allison is right: “Too much of a mama’s life goes undocumented and unseen.” While I make a conscious effort to take annual pictures with my kids, most of the pictures I take are of them alone. This article really forced me to want to make more of an effort to take more candid photos with my kids…when my make-up isn’t on, hair might not be combed and I might have on a wrinkled shirt. This article allowed me to think about it from the perspective of what my kids will see/say when they get much older. Will they be happy to look through all of the photos or will they wish there were more of them with either myself or their dad?
So my question to you is: Will you be in the picture?
I’m really interested to hear other perspectives on this. Be sure to post your comments below on regarding your thoughts on this article.
Photo 1: June 2012: Photo by: E.Y.E. Imagery
Photo 2: Easter 2012
7 Comments
Sheree
October 12, 2012 at 11:15 PMI read the same article and it change my perspective tremendously. I will now be in the picture!! Great post Christine!
Janeane Davis
October 12, 2012 at 11:17 PMI think as often as possible each family member should be in photographs. The pictures are still here long after the family members are gone and the easiest way for our children, grandchildren and future generations to know who we were, what we thought and what we cared about is to let them see us in the pictures. When family members are having loving times looking at picture, remembering times past and being happy, they don’t care about bad hair, crazy clothes or extra pounds.
T. Espi
October 13, 2012 at 12:17 AMThat article really tugged at the heartstrings. I don’ t consider myself shy or averse to photos but as I look through my phones photo folder I see lots of the kiddos and very little of me (and even less of hubby). I will definitely make an effort to join the little ones in photos. I want them to see me.
MELISASource
October 13, 2012 at 12:35 AMI am definitely guilty of having far more photos of just my kids than of me with them, or even of me by myself. This is something that I must work on too. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
RaniRo
October 13, 2012 at 5:59 PMBeing a new mom, I tend to sample other ideas from lots of people. LOL.
But reading this was very helpful! I agree! I don’t want my kids or I to wander, “Where’s mom?” No. No.
Thanks, Christine!!
Caroll
October 15, 2012 at 7:18 PMI too never thought seriously about being in as many pics as possible. I was more concerned with my child having as many pics of him as possible, simple because I only have one known baby pic of myself and a couple of me as a toddler. I did not want that to happen to my son, but yet again I almost left myself out of ‘Our’ pictures. Good article Christine! Thanks for sharing!
Moms 'N Charge 4 Reasons I LOVED the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration #DisneySMMC - Moms 'N Charge
June 6, 2016 at 5:14 AM[…] aim and our phones ready to go at all times. We don’t want to miss anything yet often times, we are missed being in the photos as we capture them. Memory maker changes that. Memory maker allows you to leave your camera in the […]