WYSIWYG of Life

[ photo removed to avoid copyright infringement ]

In HTML code a WYSIWYG editor, or "What You See Is What You Get" is one where instead of typing out the code, you have a program that lets you click and drag elements to create a web page as it would be seen in a browser. Years ago I learned HTML code and I used to enjoy coding out pages, but lately I have used WYSIWYG editors more. It saves time but the code gets really messy because the WYSIWYG programs are not designed to clean up unnecessary coding from editing you might clean up if you were coding it directly. You don't see the messy code, but I know it's there. When talking to other web designers I mention reluctantly that I use WYSIWYG because it saves time, but I get embarrassed by how messy the coding is. I want to yell "Don't look at my source!!"

I was thinking about how as mothers we feel guilty whenever we take shortcuts or stash all our laundry in the bedroom when someone is dropping by on short notice. You know what I'm talking about! Today I encountered two articles on this topic. The first, called "Your Children Want YOU" is regarding how we get all these ideas of the kind of mom we want to be from seeing parenting magazines or the latest Pinterest fad. We feel like we are not enough when we see all of these overachieving housewives. Then another article called "I'm Never Inviting You to My House" is an older article but it talks about how we fix up our house for company and give them the impression that we keep the perfect house and it alienates them because they don't feel like they can measure up. I have fallen into both of these traps. Honestly, I have also not invited people over because I didn't think I could tidy up in time or just didn't have the energy to.

I don't want to do this any more. Yes, I use a WYSIWIG editor. Yes, I store my unfolded clean laundry in the bedroom when people come over. I settle for "good enough"on the housework on most days because that is what I can do. Sometimes it doesn't feel like enough but I know my priority is spending time with my daughter.

I hope we can all admit we take shortcuts and that is OK, but acknowledging that we do and not being ashamed that our house is "clean but not perfect". We live in our houses and don't hire a maid, but our children are happy and healthy.