“You’re a wonderful mother.”
That was the simple note written on my Facebook page from a friend and former co-worker. She was referencing a photo of my 7-year-old daughter at Seabreeze amusement park, at an event I had rushed her to after work one day.
I had “Facebooked” (now a verb) the photo of my daughter in real time. It was an easy task, even three years ago, with a smartphone, posting it in seconds with a quick caption noting where we were and what we were doing.
Enjoying mom and daughter time at Seabreeze … and then posting about it.
It was as if that friend (thanks, Sarah!) who called me “wonderful” could see
me standing there, the only mom in the crowd of hundreds clutching a shiny black purse and wearing a fancy black, summer dress sweeping the ground. Other moms were in shorts and post-waterpark bathing suit covers. Yep, I stuck out like a 9-to-5 overdressed thumb, having just wrapped a day full of meetings.
But I was there, by daughter request, hitting the park located north of the city, in between summer camp and making dinner, and then meeting friends in a play that night, for which I was now sure to be late.
Alas, my Facebook-posting friend did not have a crystal ball nor was she seeing me via Facetime. She just knew, being a working mom herself.
Moms sticking together
Funny how those four words made me feel good. My daughter’s smile was afirmation enough that this silly jaunt was worth it (and playing Skee Ball afterward with her in the boardwalk-style arcade was icing on the cotton candy).
And then I got to thinking … about how much support we women give each other via social media. One thought I had was of my 30-something friend who recently ended a 13-year relationship and was devastated by how her fiancé made the break so abruptly. But she is cheered up daily by little pink hearts dotting her Facebook page and friends posting how beautiful and fabulous she is.
Another friend who has a child with a disability writes on Facebook of her daughter’s triumphs (such as a first-ever sleepover being a success) and we are cheering right along with her. And we tell her so … in a few simple words that I now have realized ultimately mean so much.
We work so hard that by the time we’re relaxing at day’s end with some Facebook time, we’ve done so much we deserve a standing ovation (actually, we all deserved it upon walking in the door at work that morning, having cleaned, dressed, fed, and transported kids, who amazingly are all alive and well at daycare or school … please cue the “Applause” track).
“Hearting” your shout-outs to friends
Now this gal-pal lovefest does take some effort. When you are social platforms and you like a post or a photo, let that friend or colleague know it, by clicking a heart or a “Like” or writing a quick comment.
Although my day job has me on social media, I still spend about 30 minutes a day on the social side of social media.
I scroll Twitter mainly for news, along the way stopping to retweet and “heart” a tweet or two that move me) and on LinkedIn I endorse business colleagues for various areas of expertise and congratulate them on work milestones.
And business aside, Facebook and Instagram can be social fun, seeing pix of sorority sisters’ adorable children and hearing about the latest happenings in others’ lives.
Virtual social calls
So while it is an effort to engage with friends online, try not to think of this social connecting as “work.” Heck, in Jane Austen’s day (200 years ago) you had to put in a huge effort to make a social call … enduring several muddy carriage rides and luggage filled with corseted gowns.
All we have to do today is click on some words and icons and perhaps type a few words — perhaps pajama clad and surely sans corset — to let our friends know we are thinking about them. And if you want to take an extra 30 seconds, make their day by sharing a Gif you picked out just for them. It’s so easy, and so appreciated.
One of my goals for today: to tell at least one mom that she’s “wonderful” and for all of her online friends and followers to see (and agree) and pile on the love and support. Girlfriends, I’ve got your back … you’re pretty wonderful!
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