There’s lots of judgment in the Mom world. We’ve all seen it.

Usually though, it comes in the baby stage: breastfeeding, naps, sleep etc. etc. But later on in life there’s this subtle but pernicious undercurrent. You can’t see it because it takes the form of ‘artisan -eco-living-happiness’ on social media. It’s subtle in it’s happy smiling children eating artisan created apple sauce while wearing their sustainably and locally designed clothes (which cost more than any of my own clothes and I’m not growing every three months!).

The message is clear: if you’re not doing this, you’re doing something wrong. Well guess what? My kid wears hand me downs from my cousin, goes on a shopping spree at Goodwill for $20 twice a year, and eats food bought at Walmart because we’re freelancer artists in the gig economy without a social safety net.

That doesn’t make me a bad mom. It makes me a Mom living within a budget.
And if I could, I would, but I can’t.

Dress – Frank and Oak thrifted via Common Sort
Tights – c/o Swedish Stockings
Boots – Aldo *about 10 years old*
Purse – hand me down