Mom in the picture has become my mission. When my kids were little, I always did my best to make sure we were taking lots of pictures. I wanted to document as much as I could. Those pictures helped family that lived across the country watch my babies grow.
Every now and again I would realize we had lost focus. The photos would slow. My disappointment would reignite our mission. The pictures would begin again.
Then I noticed very few had us in them. The kids were always front and center. We were nowhere to be found. I used to joke with my husband that if one of us was hit by a bus tomorrow, the kids wouldn’t even remember what we looked like because we weren’t in any pictures.
That was an exaggeration. However, it wasn’t far from the truth. We always seemed to have an excuse. We weren’t camera ready, or we didn’t like how we looked in the photos. Those were most popular.
My focus then shifted. The new mission was having Mom in the pictures. I needed to get over all of my excuses, insecurities, and avoidance. It was important to me that someday my kids had photos to look back on that included me (and my husband when I could convince him).
The last time I realized there was a lull was last October. As we began to focus again, I worked to create opportunities to have Mom in the picture. We began taking selfies, even as a family.
When Cameron died last Christmas, I realized the full value of having Mom in the pictures. While I think we did a pretty good job, a part of me is still disappointed we didn’t take more.
I now cherish those pictures. The memories we made and documented. Even those pictures that were just silly and had no reason. When they aren’t perfect or fuzzy. They have more meaning than I can even put words to.
It has become my mission to convince more Mom’s to be in the picture.
Whatever negative things you see in those pictures (weight, no makeup, a mess in the background), I promise you are the only one that sees it! Your kids will only ever look at those pictures and smile as they remember the fun they were having with Mom.
So find ways to be OK in front of the camera. Place the kids in front of you to only show your face. Take a selfie from a different angle. Tuck the photos away so no one ever sees them except you. Just get in the picture!! I promise in the end, you will never regret it.
12 Comments on “Why It Is So Important To Have Mom In The Picture”
Great reminder for Moms to start getting in those pictures! I’m guilty of this as well
I have been making more of a conscious effort to be in the pictures with my kids. Such a good post!
So true and a great reminder! My girls love taking selfies with me now and I’m starting to not feel bad asking strangers to take our picture when we are out as a family. I like to be a part of the memory and not just behind the camera.
I will start making a more deliberate effort to take pictures with my mom in them. She has always been the picture taker, but now that I am older I need to be sure she gets in them too. I am so sorry for the loss of your son. I just read your post on it, and you are a hero every single day!
I think this is such an important point. I had mentioned this to my husband a few months ago and now he tries to take more pictures
Of our daughter and I so we are both in her photos. It’s hard to set aside the “having to be picture ready mindset” but it’s so worth it.
i am so guilty of this! i need to get in the picture more!!
A great point and try to get ‘us’ in the picture. I’m so sentimental and it seems like a pain at times to try to get pictures of everyone but they are so precious to have as you’ve mentioned. Especially with the loss of a loved one.
-Natasha | http://www.lovelyyoublog.com
Love this. My husband isn’t the type to naturally think of taking a photo of someone, so I usually have to ask rather than get lovely candid moments. But I’ve learned to actually ask instead of allowing myself to always be behind the camera!
I used to be the one behind the camera but now I jump in and hand it off to hubby! I like seeing pics of me and my babies and having ones as families as well. I had someone point out years ago that they loved seeing our pics but I was never in them. Great post!
This is one of my resolutions as well! I need more pictures with my kids too!
Yes! Being in the pictures also is so important. And pictures of the whole family together! Those can be hard to come by too.
I can really relate to this!