Are We All Just Trying to Live Facebook-Worthy Lives?

By Sarah Smith, REDBOOK.

All this "lean in," "lean back" business: It's a smoke screen. It seems like it's a discussion about women's choices, but it's really about Facebook, and not just because Sheryl Sandberg works there.

Why? Because we're all comparing ourselves to each other more than ever, and there doesn't seem to be a way to live a Facebook-worthy life, in a Pinterest-worthy home without a ton of money or somebody at home, documenting the adorableness and coordinating the towels. But let's be real: Most of us are just glad when there's a clean towel.

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Whether women get what they deserve at work, and the complex emotions that come with deciding whether to stay at home to raise kids: These are worthwhile things for us all to think about - when we have a spare five minutes between reading a bedtime story and cleaning up the kitchen. But we'll all make our own decisions, based on who we are, how much money we have, and what our family is like. There is no black-and-white answer, as much as it might seem like this or that friend on Facebook has it figured out.

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A recent Pew Research Center poll found that 56% of working moms say that juggling work and family responsibilities is difficult for them. That's a lot - but it's still just over half. That means there are almost as many moms who feel like they're hanging in there, handling it. Is this because they're not leaning in? Are these the perfect Facebook families? Or maybe: They're just doing their best, and not letting themselves get worked up about it.

I hope that's it, because it's exhausting to always wonder what life would be like if we'd made different choices or had more options. Whether you're leaning in, leaning back, or leaning over and tying someone's shoes, hang in there

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