Moms and dads face such scrutiny these days.
Everyone has an opinion on how you should be parenting your own children, but news flash: They’re not your kids. Of course, saying something to authorities if you see a dangerous situation is always a good idea, but sharing a photo online with the hopes of your mean words going viral? That’s just cyberbullying, friends.
This very thing happened to an Illinois mother about a year ago.
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As a pediatric nurse and mom to three, it’s safe to say Molly Lensing knows what she’s doing in the parenting department. But when a random stranger saw her and her baby at an airport, he decided to snap a photo and share it online.
Without asking about her circumstances, the person attached a cruel caption to her likeness. Molly didn’t find out about the photo for months – after it had gone viral. With more than 60,000 shares, it was bound to make its way to her.
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Most of the commenters were quick to jump to conclusions – just like the person who shared the photo did. Some netizens even identified her by name and began Facebook messaging her!
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They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case, the words were entirely wrong. “We had the unfortunate luck of being stuck in the middle of the Delta computer shut-down. Anastasia had been held or in her carrier for many hours. My arms were tired. She needed to stretch, and I had to communicate with all the family members wondering where the heck we were,” Molly told TODAY.
Being in an airport is stressful enough, but add a two-month-old, countless rebookings, and more than 20 hours listening to a loudspeaker tell you, you’re not going anywhere – even I would go insane… but Molly kept it together.
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While the mom still sees the photo circulating every now and then, she says that she ignores it and instead leans, “On those close to me who know the real me. I am powerless compared to the internet, and I know that I am the best momma to my girls and I know that I cherish them and am raising them the best I can.”
Here here! Share this story if you’re inspired by this mom’s beautiful outlook. Next time you think about sharing a mean photo, think twice or ask if you can help – you never know, you could end up making a friend!
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