As a military spouse, social media often becomes more than just scrolling; it’s how we stay connected during deployments, moves, and long-distance friendships. This guest post explores the different ways moms can use social media to connect with others, a must as military spouses.
Living so far from our loved ones, having our spouse have to “live in our phones” for periods of time, and trying to balance it all together during the craziness of military life is a lot to take on. We want to find the right balance with social media, but it can be hard.
Enjoy this post all about motherhood and the different ways we can use social media to stay in touch.
Motherhood and Social Media
Before the advent of Facebook, Pinterest, and various other social media tools, motherhood was, in some ways, a much more isolating experience. Of course, before social media, mothers may have had email, phone calls, and in-person visits. But social media and tools like smartphones and web cams bring your friends and family right into your living room, regardless of location, and allow them to experience your child’s growth up close and personal. These days, moms can keep in touch with friends and family like never before.
Social Media Brings Moms Together
Social media serves another important purpose: it brings moms together and makes geography nearly irrelevant. You adopted your child from China? There is a Facebook page or blog dedicated to that where you can connect with other moms with children adopted from China and share your experiences, ask questions, and make friends. Ditto for many other motherhood experiences. The internet and social media help us stay connected and meet others of like minds or experiences. This can be immensely reassuring when you are faced with a motherhood dilemma outside your previous experience.
Here are some of the most common social media tools I have found useful and some that many of my friends who are moms love to use:
Facebook is the Place
Military spouses and social media go hand in hand. And Facebook is one of the places we go. Although there are concerns that Facebook’s popularity is declining among teens, every mom I know uses it regularly. We post pictures of our kids, updates on our lives, questions about events at school and where to find a good pediatric dentist. It is a great tool for keeping up with both local friends and family and those who live far away.
You should be aware that Facebook is notorious for constantly changing its privacy settings without informing users. Therefore, I never post anything on Facebook that is sensitive or private. You really can’t be absolutely sure who might see your post. Also, Facebook has had the tendency in the past to ban breast-feeding photos and sometimes delete those users’ accounts, so while it is your right to post these types of family photos, the network has shown a strange intolerance to them, so beware.
That said, I love keeping up with what my friend in Spain is doing and her daughter’s activities, as well as making plans with my neighborhood friends for a barbecue. I also belong to a Facebook group of moms with multiples, and we talk about parenting issues specific to having twins or triplets.
Pinterest is a Fun Choice
Need an idea for a snack to serve for a toddler birthday party? Looking for an age-appropriate educational activity? How about nursery decorating ideas? That and more can be found on Pinterest by pinning photos and ideas of people you know and people you don’t. Along the way you can learn lots of interesting things about your friends. One of my friends has a prolific collection of dessert recipes – all involving chocolate. Another is obsessed with bookshelves of every shape and dimension. Another I can always count on for great appetizer ideas.
Instagram For Your Photos and Videos
Love photos? Instagram lets you tap into your inner photographer and view others’ photos. You can also share them on Facebook and other social media sites. It is an opportunity to showcase your life in photos for friends and family to see, but the profiles are public, so everyone else can see, too. You can also post short videos as Reels.
Email and Texting Still Works
Don’t care to share your whole life with the masses, or even just your online friends? It’s a valid concern – many sites have little to no security settings, so there is really no way to ensure that what you post stays within your circle of family and friends. Emailing and texting, now considered old-school, aren’t completely foolproof, but you have a reasonable expectation that your rant to your best friend about not getting any sleep and the lack of privacy while pumping at work will be seen only by her.
What was parenthood before social media? It was a lot more private, and really, there is no substitute for in-person visits, but when that isn’t possible, social media can be the next best thing. It also opens up so many parenting resources and avenues for creativity, information and validation. It’s a way for friends and family outside your local circle to see your kids grow up, and to me, that is pretty amazing.
This guest post is by a SmartMom Contributor. SmartMom is an easy way to receive fast answers to all of your parenting questions from the convenience of your mobile device. We’re launching in the app store soon – Visit our website http://smartmom.co for early access!
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