3 Reasons Why You Need to Start Taking Selfies With Your Kids Today

Almost 2 years old, how had this already happened? As I scrolled through my phone studying each precious photo of my baby boy from the last year, I noticed one thing was missing...ME! In order to not miss a moment of my precious baby's development,  I am constantly pulling out my camera to snap photos and create memories. However, being behind the camera means that I have very few photos of myself with my son. I take plenty of photos and videos with my husband in them, but men do not seem as sentimental to remember to grab the camera and capture a moment of us with our kids. It does not help that my hair always looks a mess and I rarely have make up on these days. But mostly it’s because I just forget about myself all together. Becoming a mother is a really big deal, but I do not want to lose myself in the process. I do not want to be absent. Here are 3 reasons to start taking selfies with your kids today!

1. Your kids will want to look back and have photos with you!

• • What we forget is the memories we capture on camera are not just for us, but also for our kids.  They want to see the "young" version of us smiling with them. They will want to see our facial expression and the joy in our eyes as we delight in them. They may even want to see our crazy hair and our silly fashion (if you can call yoga pants and a t-shirt - fashion!) One day all our children will have of us is the photos and the memories we are capturing for them, so let's include ourselves!

2. You are helping teach them a healthy body image.

• When we do not include ourselves in a photo because we do not look "good enough," it sends a negative message to our kids about how they look. Fact: I look like a mess most of the time now! My hair is always in a messy bun. I've got no makeup on and my clothes usually have stains on them. But when I take a selfie with my kid even though I am looking like this, it shows him that mommy loves herself just as she is. It shows your child that beauty can look like an unshowered, sleepy mommy.
  • *Advanced tip* - After you take that selfie with your kid, look at it together and say one positive thing about yourself in front of your child. (examples: "I love me!" "My hair looks so fun today!") Hearing you affirm your love for yourself no matter how you look will leave a lasting impact on them.

3. It reminds you not to lose yourself in motherhood.

• You know it's all about your kids most of the time. They demand all we've got and more some days. Becoming a mom is such a big deal, but I do not want to lose myself in the process. Yes, your child takes your focus, but including yourself in photos is a visual representation that you still deserve to focus on yourself too. I want my son to look back and see photos of me smiling and ask me about who I was when he was little. I was a hard working, travel loving, sparkle queen before I became a mom and part of me still gets to be that person! That version of me, deserves to still show up in photos WITH my kid.

So grab your camera and snap a selfie today or even better, ask someone to get some photos of you and kid. Hear me when I say, I am NOT great at this, but I am trying. You should show up in the social media photos, phone scrolling, and family albums. I can't wait to see the memories you will create!