London - A social media craze encouraging women to show off their “great” parenting skills on Facebook has been branded insensitive.
Women criticised the Motherhood Challenge in which users post photos of how they are “happy to be a mother” and “tag” others they think are “great” parents.
Critics say the bragging could be upsetting to those who suffer fertility problems or miscarriage, and claim it “trivialises motherhood”.
Rosey Wren, of the Isle of Lewis, who has had postnatal depression three times, said the trend was “unhelpful”, writing online: “Parenting is bloody hard work and we need to be more honest about it. Perhaps then mothers won’t struggle with feeling ‘good enough’ because they are not constantly striving to be the perfect mum.”
Flic Everett called the challenge a “fetishisation of motherhood” by “laughing, shiny, breastfeeding super-beings who … only invite others of their kind to join the party”.
On forum Mumsnet a user asked “how many women have shed a tear” over the photos.
But Kate Lever wrote: “While I hold deep sympathy for people who can’t have children … why should that mean I can’t be proud to be a mother?”
Daily Mail