Sharenting and Conspiracy theories

Sharenting

Combination of two words; parenting and sharing.

When parents share too much of their children's information, pictures and private moments online, mostly on Facebook.

1.That Mom is way overboard with her sharenting on Facebook.

2.Everyone is going to know everything about that poor kid because his/her parents aren't careful with their sharenting.

Reference: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Sharenting

In the days before Baby (hereafter known as BB), I swore I'd never be one of those Parents who Sharent. I was adamant I didn't want my baby plastered all over the internet until she was old enough to decide if she even wanted her photo there in the first place. BB I was often amused and equally bemused by the photos and updates others would post about their kids. Regularly thinking 'why?', and telling myself with much confidence, that I would not put my facebook friends through the same daily wall trailing ordeal. BB I was never going to be that person.

Yet here I am. 

Being that person.

Because finally, I get it.

I can't help myself.  Facebook is a place to spread news about your life, your highs and lows, achievements and failures, and at the moment, they are ALL directly related to Baby, whom I will hereafter call Miss A. Everything I do, think, feel or dream about is about her. Miss A is my life. BB weekends were time off, sleep ins and movie nights. Now they are two days where I have help. Where I can potentially achieve something that I've been trying to get to all week. BB I thought about career paths, performing, BB I sang daily. Now my thoughts are about when I will next grab some sleep. How I will eat my next meal. If I have time to have a shower, or should I take her in with me. Why is she crying? Is she too hot, too cold, hungry, tired, windy? Does she want a pacifier? What time did she last eat? Is she about to sleep properly? How long has she slept for? Baby. Baby. BABY. BABY!

BB I wondered frequently why no one ever talked about labour, pregnancy, having babies. I wondered why I was a 27 year old Female who knew next to nothing about what to expect. Wondering how I managed to get to this stage in my life and still be so ignorant. 

Now I know.

The survival of the human race depends on our knowing NOTHING IN ADVANCE.

It's the worlds biggest conspiracy. A secret kept for thousands of years by everyone who has a child, in an effort to keep others from knowing the truth. In a selfish attempt to bring more people into the fold to commiserate with and wonder "WHAT HAVE WE DONE?", "I WANT MY LIFE BACK", "WE'VE MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE!" Because pregnancy is a breeze compared to the first 3 weeks after birth. Those weeks are a blur or tears, pain, extreme sleep deprivation and horrible fears that you aren't meant to be a parent after all. Those weeks make you wonder, what have we done?

But then, they smile.

Miss A has started smiling.

Not often yet, but she has. I finally felt the Heart Glow that everyone talks about. I realised what it's all about. That's why no one talks about it. 

Because if people knew how hard it is, and how the one thing that makes it all worth it is a simple smile. They wouldn't have kids. They wouldn't go through all that hell. They wouldn't feel the heart glow. Because they wouldn't be able to comprehend, how something so small can make all that hell worth it.