Parents face too much pressure on social media to “savour every minute” of their summer with their children. 

That’s according to Irish Independent Columnist Sophie White, who told Newstalk Breakfast she sees the same “sanctimonious” slogans every summer on social media. 

“You only have 18 delicious summers with your kids, make every summer count,” the tweets typically say. 

Ms White said these posts “make [her] want to punch the phone”. 

“First of all, I'd hope we have more than 18 summers with our kids,” she said.  

“Just because childhood ends, it doesn’t mean we stop parenting.” 

Pressure

These posts putting pressure on parents to spend all their time with their children “ignores how summer is actually really hard for a lot of parents”, Ms White said. 

“Not only do we not have the childcare options we rely on during the school year,” she said.  

“We now also have to make every single summer count and manufacture all these happy summer memories.” 

Father working from home while child tries to play with him. Image: Anna Kraynova / Alamy Stock Photo

While boomer and Gen Xers might have got pressure from their mothers-in-law or a nosy neighbour, Ms White said millennials face constant pressure from social media.

“We have these messages thrown at us from inside our home on our phones,” she said. 

“I saw a post just there – ‘the only people who are going to remembered you worked late or replied to an email on the weekend is your kids’. 

“You know what the kid might also remember? Having a stable home and going on holidays, the things enabled by answering an email on the weekend.” 

75% of the time you ever get to spend with your children is over by the time they turn 11 !

90% is gone by the time they turn 18 !

So slow down , be present , Enjoy these years , because it is over before you know it !

Realise what’s important and make special memories , time…

— Shez (@shereehankir1) April 30, 2023

Ms White said she and other parents can acknowledge these “preachy” messages are misleading and inaccurate – but they will still feel pressure to be the “perfect” parent. 

“I have a real kind of sensitivity about it because I'm constantly questioning myself,” she said. “I think that’s a state a lot of parents relate to. 

“We're constantly worried we’re not doing enough and we’re not doing it right. 

“I tell myself if I'm worried that I'm not doing enough, I probably am. 

“The fact you care and you’re antsy means you're probably doing a fairly decent job.” 

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