Middle-of-the-Road Motherhood… a lost lifestyle? Or just lost in the polarization of life these days?

I’m eight years into my motherhood journey. It’s becoming more and more obvious that I either need to back away from social media, or show up as a voice for middle-of-the-road mothers because I know we’re out there. We just keep getting smoked out by the extremes on either end of motherhood.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about motherhood in the U.S. today. There are many reports and studies coming out sharing data that indicates that today’s parents are more stressed and under pressure than any generation before. This is concerning to me.

As a stay-at-home-mom for the better part of a decade, I’m beginning to see why. Here’s what I’m wondering… what happened to middle-of-the-road motherhood?

What Happened to Middle-of-the-Road Motherhood? Oh, I know… it doesn’t sell.

Oh wait, I know. It doesn’t sell! Like many topics in our society today, if it’s not one extreme or the other, it just doesn’t sell. It doesn’t gain the followers. It doesn’t get the eyeballs. It doesn’t make money.

I consider myself to be a very middle-of-the-road person. You could certainly argue that I just don’t know what I believe or that I’m wishy-washy. I disagree. I find value in using different strategies and beliefs to create the best life for my family. I don’t know where this idea came from that we need to choose a side and live it religiously? So now I’m on a mission to find other middle-of-the-road mothers and families!

I’m Looking for Middle-of-the-Road Mothers…

I want to know where the moms are that breastfed AND formula fed.

I want to know where the moms are that value and use public education AND see some benefits of the homeschool way of life.

I want to know where the moms are that prioritize time in nature AND have regular movie dates with popcorn and M&Ms.

I want to know where the moms are that shuffle their kids to and from activities AND intentionally make space for downtime as a family.

I want to know where the moms are that limit screen time AND have multiple streaming services a click away.

I want to know where the moms are that believe in science and medicine AND believe in more holistic healthcare (like chiropractic care).

I want to know where the families are that watch TV, movies, and play video games occasionally AND also intentionally don’t use tablets or phones to entertain their kids while out to eat or in public.

I want to know where the families are that eat whole, healthy meals together as a family regularly AND get fast food when we need to.

I want to know where the moms are that value the family unit AND pursue their own interests and hobbies.

I want to know where the moms are that still believe we’re capable (as women) of natural childbirthAND used fentanyl during labor.

I want to know where the families are that love to live rurally AND enjoy the conveniences of city life from time to time.

I want to know where the families are that buy farm fresh eggs, have a small vegetable garden AND don’t want to be homesteaders.

I want to know where the moms are that are conscious of dyes and harmful ingredients AND let their kids have candy and processed foods pretty regularly.

A Generation of Information Overload and Overconsumption

I think parents today feel all of this pressure to live one way or another, but I think it’s a big fat scam. I think we’d all enjoy this short life a lot more if we lived a life of balance and moderation in nearly all aspects of life. Why are we listening to internet “experts” over our own intuition? The beauty of life and parenthood is that there really aren’t any rules! You can cherry pick all the things that feel right for you and your family, and let go of anything that doesn’t.

To be honest, I think we’re a generation living in a world of information overload and overconsumption. This has led to an entire generation of over-thinkers (hello me!). To our detriment, we feel the need to “get it right” more than any generation before us. But what is right? We can’t help but research and over-analyze and stumble down rabbit holes to find the “right” answers. It’s killing us slowly and we don’t even realize it. Meanwhile, I fear we’ll look back in 10 years and have major regret that we didn’t just exist with our families more.

A Community for Middle-of-the-Road Mothers and Families

When I’m on-line, I certainly don’t see these middle-of-the-road families often enough… because it doesn’t sell. It doesn’t gain followers. It makes it seem like we’re wishy-washy, uncertain of our beliefs, and want the best of both worlds. And I’m here to shout from the roof tops… WHY NOT?

Why wouldn’t we want to cherry pick the aspects of different ways of living, that we find beneficial, to make our own life better, well-rounded, and balanced? Why can’t we have both? I would argue that we can, and I want to start talking about it more. I believe the majority of us are living in this gray area, this middle-of-the-road lifestyle.

I’m getting tired of another sector of our lives becoming polarized. It’s exhausting! I want other moms to know they’re not alone. I want families to see that they can live simply and happily without keeping up with the Jones’. I just want to find community in the gray area – in the middle-of-the-road – again.

Are You a Middle-of-the-Road Mother?

I’d love to get your thoughts on this topic. I recently shared a reel on Instagram that seemed to resonate with many of my followers. I’m curious what readers here think, too! If you’ve been looking for a community of middle-of-the-road mothers, please join us!

To the Chaos,

-Mackenzy