That Viral 'Motherhood Challenge' Is Annoying Everyone

The #MotherhoodChallenge implores women to share photos that represent what they love about being a mom

There’s a “motherhood challenge” going around Facebook right now, maybe you’ve seen it? It asks women to post anywhere from three to five photos that make them happy to be a mother and implores them to tag three friends who they also think are amazing mothers to do the same.

It looks something like this:

I was nominated for the Motherhood Challenge! I’m posting 3 pictures that make me happy to be a mother and I’m tagging some friends I think are great mothers, too!

I was nominated to post some pictures that make me happy to be a Mother I’m tagging some friends that I think are great Mothers to post some pictures for the Motherhood Challenge.

I was nominated by XXXX to post 4 pictures that make me happy to be a Mother! I’m tagging 3 people that I think are great Mothers to post 4 pictures for the Motherhood Challenge!

Really?

The last thing we need on Facebook are more “highlight reels” of parenthood. We’re already doing way too much of that, aren’t we? Posting the filtered images that make it all look so easy and rewarding? I have been tagged by no one, which either means my friends see right through this crap, or everyone thinks I’m a horrible parent.

If we really wanted to do something honest here, we could have a challenge that implores moms to share the real “challenges” of parenthood.

I haven’t worn a bra that fits since before I had kids. I nominate three friends to admit they have no idea what their bra size is anymore.

I eat all the Goldfish I buy for my kids. I nominate 5 friends to post photos of the snack food they claim is for their kids.

I wear yoga pants and haven’t done yoga in three years. I nominate 4 of my friends to post pictures of the yoga pants they never wear to yoga.

My children only listen to their father. I nominate 3 of my friends to show a picture of the spot in the house where they hide to rage-cry.

The #MotherhoodChallenge has been everywhere and people have a lot of strong feelings about it. Flic Everett writes for The Guardian, “Facebook’s motherhood challenge makes me want to punch my computer screen.” Everett points out the posts are a unneeded reminder of all the wonders of motherhood for women who are struggling to conceive. Everett has a point — it seems unnecessary to add even more images to the constant feed of all the adorable things our kids are doing daily. Good To Know questioned whether the challenge was “sweet, smug, or insensitive?”

“FB can be hard enough when you are dealing with heartache, never mind when this sort of thing is plastered all over it,” said one commenter who weighed in.

Well, look at the bright side. At least no one’s claiming you can win shares of Facebook or protect your privacy by “sharing and reposting” this week. That’s a plus.