It’s always the pretty ones. People love them at first and then they start to see more in the perfect smile and the long blond hair. They start to take a look at themselves and they start to wonder when/ how/ if they will ever be as pretty. Then they decide that’s too much hard work/ too unlikely and so they decide to moan instead. I don’t get this. Why not just accept that everyone and everything is different? If it’s not for you, then move on. Don’t complain all the time!
I’m talking about Pinterest. I keep seeing status updates on other social media channels that are, frankly, annoying me. I saw a really long winded one that accused Pinterest of turning all women who use it into ‘Stepford Wives’- incapable of acting independently and intent only on following the herd by making shaving foam bath paint and a hundred new crayons from a thousand old bits of wax. This one person actually praised the Lord that she was no longer on Pinterest and therefore no longer subjected to ridiculous pressures to be Supermum.
This is where I felt the need to spit coffee over my keyboard. Seriously. If you don’t like Pinterest anymore, then don’t use it. Don’t slag it off to everyone because everyone else still likes it. And while we’re on the subject, I feel I have to say one thing- Pinterest has not made me feel a failure. If anything, Pinterest has inspired me! I love looking at the pretty things. I love seeing others ideas for turning old fruit crates into works of art. I love that we can celebrate creativity with pictures. Pinterest made me do it. This is what I did:
- I threw a dinosuar dig party for the pre-schooler
- I made rainbow crayons for the kids
- I filled the pre-schooler’s sand and water tray with rainbow coloured rice
- I made rattles for the baby
- I re-decorated the Big One’s bedroom for under £50
- I made the Christmas cake look like Santa’s big fat belly
- I made sweety trees for the Big One’s teachers
- I found a recipe for fudge that was so easy to make and only took a few minutes
- I learned how to get rid of mould in the shower
- I found three new alternatives to the traditional sticker charts
- I read at least 30 posts about how to celebrate my children
I could go on and on but I won’t. All I want to say is that Pinterest has inspired me to do so much more creative stuff with the kids. I look at things differently now. A cardboard box will never be the same again because Pinterest has made me look at the world through a child’s eyes again. I can’t throw out a box with the knowledge that it could be turned into a car for a teddy bear. I could even blog that. I could pin it. Someone might RE-PIN it. And so the pretty, clever stuff lives on. I like having a world filled with interesting, pretty and clever stuff. Yes, it seems you CAN be all three after all.
I totally agree with this post. I don’t understand the nay sayers who seem to have an issue with Pinterest and the people that use it. I’m certainly no stepford wife, but enjoy doing cool stuff for and with my kids. I’ve read so many interesting articles on there about raising ans surviving toddlers! Got some great, easy crafts that they can actually do and did an awesome hungry caterpillar cake using cupcakes. I alsomlovebit for non child things and have found inspiration for crochet colour combinations.
I did also see a similar accusation about lots of Christmassy tweets at the beginning of December. Someone saying it was all fake. I think that’s rather sad. People are just sharing nice stuff they are doing with the kids.
Definitely looking up the coloured rice thing!
Mummylimited recently posted..A Satsuma in the Toe
You HAVE to do the rice thing- its so easy. Dry rice (40p Savers) in a food bag, food colouring, leave to dry overnight- voila!! The pre-schooler loves playing with it and its so less messy than sand. We just sweep and throw away whatever goes on the floor.
xxx
This is a really great post and I think it entirely depends how you use Pinterest. As a creative resource, it’s amazing but people use it as more like a social network and it’s all wrong for that. I keep a board for my blog posts and pin things quite casually, but I’ve also found some absolutely brilliant ideas on there for crafts, food and fashion.
Jayne recently posted..The Resolutions That I Wasn’t Going To Make…
I agree. I rarely pin my own posts because I love looking at the crafty stuff more than anything. I don’t really think of it as a social network actually.
xxx
I am loving it, the only thing I dont love is the hours I seem to lose when I log in
Donna @ Little Lilypad recently posted..My favourite posts of 2012
Yes there is that. Time does get sucked away…
xx
Here here!!! This just made me laugh out loud at my desk! I love Pinterest. It’s got great ideas and fun and beautiful things to inspire, read and appreciate. I dont feel pressured by it at all, take from it what you like. Long live Pinterest!!!! X
Haha yes! Long live Pinterest indeed!
xxx
Well pinterests bath paints are the only reason my child made it to the bath today! Half an hour tantrum before hand but only after she helped make the paint and carried it to the bathroom would she dare to get in! So “thank god for Pinterest my child would stink without it!”
Haha excellent argument!!
xx
Fab post! I am addicted to Pinterest and like you it has inspired me to do thing I would never have thought of. I love looking at all the pretty things on there and getting ideas for things.
Rachel recently posted..Everything ‘Kiddi’ under one roof!!
Yes! I’ve attempted so many projects that I would normally have rejected as too difficult or time consuming.
xx
I’ve learnt a huge amount from pInterest; found some great recipes and play ideas. Likewise, I’m starting to get quite a bit of traffic from there. However, if you don’t like it then bog off and read something else! No-one is making anyone do anything!
TheBoyandMe recently posted..Project 365: A New Year
I don’t get traffic as such as I rarely pin my posts. I think its better for posts like yours and other crafty blogs and thats what I love about it. Its so inspiring!
xx
I don’t really spend much time over on pinterest, tbh I don’t really know where I send most of my time, but I do agree if you dont like it and its not for you then just leave it be and go find something that does float your boat. As for the creativeness then it can only be a good thing when people are inspired, I love to look at others masterpieces from bits and bobs and homecooked amazing meals, I don’t get very far with recreating them but still I like to look…
sarahmumof3 recently posted..Blogging Crossroads & New Year Resolutions
Me too, some people obviously can’t handle too much of a good thing!xx
ps you should give Pinterest a try…
I think I best stay away what with all the other social networks i fear I would end up with neglected house and chilren if I got anymore attached to anything else!
sarahmumof3 recently posted..Blogging Crossroads & New Year Resolutions
I love Pinterest, its got me doing all sorts of things I wouldn’t have thought of – and I don’t care that my cakes don’t look as amazing as some on there, I know I’m not a professional. Surely its better to have a go than to sit around doing nothing!
Knitty Mummy recently posted..Vintage Fashion Shoot
I totally agree!!
xxx
You know what? You could say exactly the same thing about blogging, Facebook, Twitter – LIFE IN GENERAL! People who are negative about things like Pinterest need to understand they could feel that pressure everywhere. Even in the school playground. I love Pinterest and have found loads of inspiration from it. I use it like a bit of a magazine too, escaping into another world of pretty houses and fashion, gardens and craft activities that I know I’ll never be able to do or afford or have time for but… it’s relaxing. Like flicking through the pages of a glossy magazine and looking at the Prada fashion shoot in the full knowledge you’ll never be able to afford those shoes, but they’re still nice to look at. Pinterest, blogging – social media as a whole actually – has given me SO many ideas for things to do and make with my toddler. I love it.
Molly – Mother’s Always Right recently posted..Balance? Not in my world.
You’re right. It’s ridiculous to hide away from stuff because it makes you feel inferior!
xx