Oh the perils of social media. And yes, I do understand that you are probably consuming this content because of social media. The irony is real. 

Much like the topic of parenting, I could write 100 blogs about social media and the influence it has on all of us, but I’m hoping this blog isn’t that. I’m hoping this blog post illustrates a reality for me currently that is adding to the story of my life and how I’m experiencing it. 

My 17 year old daughter just told me about “sephora girls”. Have you seen that trend? The premise, I guess, is 10-12 year old girls making Tik Toks about going to sephora, having all the “cool” things that they’ve accumulated and then basically showing the world that they have them. 

My heart hurts when I think of this. 

What were you doing when you were 10? If you are 40 something or even older than that, I could probably guess what you were doing. You were playing outside. You were playing with the neighborhood kids or doing chores or riding your bike. And during the winter you were watching a sitcom or reading a book or trying to pass the time with a board game. 

We would have been doing these things not because we are the greatest generation or because we didn’t get on social media and rot away our brains, we did these things because WE DIDN’T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TEMPTED BY ANYTHING ELSE. 

We can’t act superior to the younger generation. It’s not their fault that these technological advances exist. It’s ours. Our generation created this thing that we can’t let go of. We created this crutch we can’t live without. 

It has affected them.

First and foremost, I’m sorry. Secondly, what are we going to do? 

The reason that this trend was brought to my attention is because my daughter was discussing the “sephora girls”, and feeling really guilty and sad about her role in it. She was in a sort of panic that her “hauls” on instagram or the videos she consumed of her generation showing the world all of the material things they have, had led to young kids spending all their time and attention on becoming like the “big girls”. She was mortified. She was almost in tears. 

This is why this experience affects my story… 

As a mom, I want to tell her that life is more than material things and status. I want to tell her that the mistakes my generation made with her generation and how that will hopefully be undone with the next generation. I want to tell her that everyone will find something other than material goods and societal acceptance to base their life on. I want to say that phones and social media will become less and less important because we will eventually focus on what matters about this life, and that there is something much deeper and more important to fill your soul with. 

I want to tell her all of these things. I want to reassure her. But…I spent 39 years of my life chasing the same material things and status. I’ll always be the mom she knew (before I knew Jesus, and thus, the meaning of life), as well as the mom she knows now. 

I’ve messed up. I didn’t intend to, but I did just the same. There’s only one thing I can do at this point to reverse some of the damage I’ve caused. 

I must live differently.