Having kids is a very special experience. You go from complete terror to pure joy in a matter of seconds. They are so funny and you can’t imagine life without them once they are around. But there are so many things you don’t know before you become a parent! You mainly get warned about sleep deprivation and the cost of raising a child, but there are some other aspects of parenthood we would like to share with you. Let’s jump right into it!

The Cost of Blueberries

Once your child transitions from a baby into a toddler, there’s a high chance for you to start following the price of blueberries like they’re the stock exchange. You’ll also probably spend a big chunk of your earnings on the best blueberries you can find. Look at it as a fun new hobby most parents take on!

Pregnancy Glow

Many people talk about the pregnancy glow but let’s face it, no matter how much you glow if you are in bed by 7 PM, no one will see your smooth, beautiful skin. You can always take advantage of the situation, though, and take more pictures.

Eating Leftovers

There will come a time when you will be that parent… eating the disgusting leftovers of your little one. But don’t worry about that, this time is just between you and your baby! You need to eat something too, after all.

Moving Freely

If you are a person who likes to move freely around, parenting can be stressful at the beginning for you. You will have to bring a lot more things with you every time you go out the door and make way more use out of the elevator. When pushing a stroller around, you’ll have to avoid some places and may not be able to get into every building, but this is also a time when you’ll be grateful for the people who fought for more places to have easier access for people on wheels.

Being a parent can cost a lot. It takes a lot from you but gives you back even more and that’s what you should remember and focus on. Take everything other people tell you with a grain of salt and enjoy your journey because it will surely be different, because it’s your own!

Gone are the days when mothers were only depicted in films as always organized and put together characters. After years of portraying unattainable models of what it means to be a good mom, it seems we’re finally ready for more authenticity. The nominees at this year’s Oscars certainly proved that.

A New Era for Moms in Cinema

For generations of cinema movements, there was one specific character that somewhat remained the same. The depiction of a good mom largely revolved around building the character of a mythical mother figure that was ever-smiling, ever-present, ever-prepared. Think Leigh Anne Tuohy from The Blind Side or Mary Bailey from It’s a Wonderful Life.

Pop culture wasn’t too kind to mothers’ characters either. When they were allowed to stray from the common depiction, mothers were often portrayed as the other extreme — overbearing, cold, distant, evil even, and selfish. Think Mommie Dearest and Arrested Development — both iconic films and signature performances, but ones that send the wrong message once again.

As we are entering a new era, we’re finally beginning to see the many layers of motherhood going beyond the singular devotion to their kids, but also showing the raw reality of everyday life as a mom and as a woman. One-dimensional characters aren’t going to cut it anymore, and more and more filmmakers are beginning to see that. This renaissance for mothers in films is also due to the fact that more and more female directors are entering the spotlight.

The Many Faces of Motherhood at the 2022 Oscars

It’s an exciting time in the film industry for mothers. Filmmakers, albeit slowly, are dipping their toes into the chaotic and messy world of parenting that women occupy. From Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley’s enthralling performances in The Lost Daughter to Penelope Cruz in Parallel Mothers, it’s definitely been a year of celebration for the complicated mother at this year’s Oscars. Ann Dowd in Mass and Gabby Hoffman in C’mon, C’mon are an absolute must-see as well.

While all of these new films try to ponder the fabric of motherhood, there’s still a lot to be achieved. Filmmakers continue to focus on the image of white women, thus leaving women of color off the screen. Yet, there’s never been a more receptive time for films to offer a brutally honest and raw portrayal of what it means to be a mother in the modern world. If the 2022 Oscars are anything to go by, we’re definitely headed in the right direction.