Moms juggle more things on a daily basis than most CEOs. Between kids, carpooling, work, home, and family relationships (on top of a full-time job for many) it can be incredibly difficult to balance all the requirements of being a mom in the 21st century. Although the web can certainly distract from this mission, it can also be a great help for moms struggling to stay in touch.
New moms, in particular, report higher levels of depression than nearly any other category of parent. The trend continues for mothers who choose to stay at home after their maternity leave ends. Studies show that American moms on average have only 36 minutes per day of free time! How can anyone be expected to maintain important relationships in that amount of time? The good news is, the internet makes it faster and more efficient to connect with the important people in your life when you don’t have hours to spare. Here are a few tips for moms looking to stay in touch with family using the power of the web.
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Utilize Social Media
Social media can, at times, seem intrusive but you can customize all your accounts to work for you! Moms love Facebook’s new “Scrapbooks” feature that allows other people to compile photos of their kids. Nearly half of the site’s users worldwide are over 35, so odds are your family’s already there. Sites like Instagram and apps like Snapchat make it easy to send a quick hello (and give family a glimpse inside your busy, hectic life as a mom!) without costing you precious minutes. Just remember to check the privacy settings carefully on all your social media profiles to ensure your family’s information is only viewable by those you want it to be.
Set Up a Blog
Time-constrained moms may feel like blogging is the last thing they’ve got the bandwidth for, but many mothers report feeling a sense of relief and community when they launch their own personal site. A “mommy blog” doesn’t have to cost anything (WordPress can host your blog for free) and can act as a form of therapy when you’re truly overwhelmed and simply need to vent. If you want to keep your family informed on your life but don’t necessarily want to hear Aunt Ethel’s advice on your parenting techniques, give out the URL to your blog and let everyone follow along. Just disable comments to keep Ethel at bay.
Find a Family Member
Grandma and Grandpa call all the time and your sister, of course, is on speed dial. But what about the family relationships that take work…and even those you’ve neglected for years? As a mom you may have a desire to reconnect with a distant family member as your children get older and the internet makes that process simpler, too. People search engines like Spokeo can help you nail down contact info for family members you’ve lost track of and fun sites like Ancestry.com are a good way to gather information for your kids on your family history.
Moms deserve more credit for all the selfless work they do. Not only are they typically responsible for more than their fair share of household duties, the burden of maintaining family relationships often falls on their shoulders. Whether you’re a first-time mom, a SAHM, or a mom looking for ways to reconnect with her older kids, the internet is your best friend once you figure out which strategy works for you.