A parenting influencer on social media has come up with a way for parents to signal that they are in need of “kind words or support.” Parents in modern life are inundated with so many problems that it can be overwhelming to get through the day. That’s why psychotherapist and author Anna Mathur has launched a social media campaign to raise awareness for parents who are “empty in the tank” and just need a little bit of support from other parents or strangers to get through their busy days.
With nearly two hundred thousand followers on Instagram, Mathur is an influencer who knows what she is talking about when it comes to parenting and leading a good life as a mother. She believes that women should start tying a colorful ribbon to their bags or purse to signal that they are in need of some encouragement or kindness from strangers when out and about during their days.
“I was walking down the high street, and one of the kids was screaming, and the other two were lagging behind,” Mathur said. She believes more people should feel okay about reaching out for support when they need it. “And I had that feeling, you know, that feeling where you have nothing in the tank, and you don’t know what to do?”
The mother “looked around, hoping to see a friend or someone she knew who could give her a hug and help her. I saw mums and families and knew that at least one of them must have wished they could help me. It got me thinking, what stops up from asking? What stops us from offering?”
Mathur, who is a mother herself, explained that she has sometimes “felt like a failure” when she needed support, which has stopped her from reaching out.
“I remember dropping one of the kids off for the first time at nursery,” she added. “I walked alone into a cafe, feeling emotional and knowing that someone in there would understand, but not knowing how or who to talk to.”
Mothers who want a bit more support can tie a colorful ribbon to their bags to signal this in public.
“The ribbon says: I am open to you offering me some kind words or support (or) I’m here if you need some kind words or support.”
Mathur added, “It’s also for those who’ve messaged me to say that they’ve been offered support before but said they were ‘fine thanks,’ when they weren’t. So it might be a statement to yourself that you’re stepping out in letting others step toward you!”
The mother added, “This will either rocket or flop, and I’m okay with finding out and looking like a plonker if it doesn’t work. If you want something a bit more official, thanks to lots of you, I have discovered that @AMotherPlace and @StacieSwift created some amazing ‘Yo’ buggy tags and pinned them a couple of years ago, which you can get on the @AMotherPlace website. They (let others know) that you’re open to having a chat or helping a fellow parent.”
What do you think about this parenting expert’s ribbon idea?