Ilana Wiles, a working mom of two and the founder of new Instagram account @averageparentproblems, knows that parenting can feel like a never-ending struggle. From “getting out the door problems” to “restaurant problems” and the ever-popular “toy problems” (what parent hasn’t taken a LEGO to the foot?), Wiles has collected dozens of Instagram photos that show the real side of parenting.
“Instagram is full of picture perfect moms dressing their kids in adorable clothes in their flawlessly decorated houses eating healthy homemade snacks,” Wiles told the Huffington Post. “Average Parent Problems is an Instagram account for the rest of us. The parents who can’t find the matching hair barrettes, make frozen waffles for breakfast every morning and don’t have time to clean the playroom.”
Average Parent Problems was launched just last month, but “the rest of us” quickly jumped on board; the account has gained almost 15,000 followers already. Wiles, who also blogs at Mommy Shorts, encourages moms and dads to submit photos to the account by using the hashtag #averageparentproblems or to post them to her Facebook page. Asking parents to share their messy, frustrating moments, Wiles says, helps “make the struggles of raising children entertaining. Parents need it!”
This account is joining the ranks of other moms who are getting real on social media and proving that not only does parenthood not have to be picture-perfect, sometimes those cringe-worthy moments make the best memories.
