Weekly WTF

It's satire (and I'm so glad). BUT STILL.

Ok so here’s the reel.

And here’s a still from the reel.

@reallyverycrunchy

A holistic/crunchy mom I follow for research purposes had posted this reel to her stories, and because this particular mom is actually really very crunchy, I assumed this particular reel was an earnest reel vilifying moms who, you know, send their kids to daycare and let their kids pollute their vulnerable brains by watching Bluey or whatever on iPads. The woman behind @reallyverycrunchy is named Emily, which I learned by reading this Buzzfeed piece about her in which she says she’s a “6 or a 7” on a scale of 1-10 crunchiness: “‘I’m pretty darn crunchy,’ Morrow told BuzzFeed News. ‘But the thing about my crunchiness is that I’m also pragmatic. I’m not going to make my kid eat a banana at a birthday party, but I am going to find the piece of cookie cake without red frosting.’”

So in the reel, Emily relives a “nightmare” about being the type of mom who gives her kids Lucky Charms, the type of mom who drinks Coffee-mate, the type of mom who says things like “I just can’t,” and ungently parents her kids by rushing them out the door to, yes, daycare. And I guess the type of mom who is somehow bad because she has a Snoopy mug instead of an East Fork Pottery mug? *

photo from East Fork Pottery

At the end of the reel, Emily “wakes up” from her nightmare in bed (where she co-sleeps with an unseen kid), ripping off her mouth tape (mouth tape is hot in crunchy online communities), and says, “it’s ok, mommy just had a bad dream” as she reassures both herself and her sleeping kid that all is well in their holistic home.

I’m DELIGHTED to learn that this is a satire account, but the fact that I initially assumed it was in earnest speaks to the many, many, many crunchy mama accounts out there that do espouse the belief that sending one’s kids outside of the home for care (or education) is anathema.

There’s also some interesting stuff happening in the comments, which seem to be from a combo of non-crunchy and crunchy moms alike. Lots of intel about why mouth tape will make you healthier and allow you to sleep better.

Some of the crunchy moms loved this satire.

Lol! It’s all about balance, especially as children age and interact with a bigger world. Mama’s go easy on yourselves, life as a mom in the US us especially exhausting. I raised mine fairly crunchy, now one eats spicy hot Cheetos daily and vapes. 😳🤣 Just love’em, and if you happen to have any energy left, UNITE TO STOP BIG BIZ/OIL from ruining the planet, not judging each other.

And some of the crunchy moms did not.

@joytreejourney I totally agree!! While I know this is supposed to be satire, it’s not really, she is poking fun, to make a point. She actually lives the crunchy way she try’s to make fun of, but it can be very off putting (and not to the crunchy) and it very much makes fun of those that don’t live up to her expectations. While some of it is great, some of it is really unkind and snark. We are all doing what we can, how we can, in the current moment. We do need to stop bashing so much and be united as MOTHERS, irregardless of our ways/styles.

And some of the moms who might identify with feeling harried, exhausted and having no words other than “I just can not right now,” didn’t love it either.

All working moms are feeling this right now😢

you do the best you can mama and don’t let her bashing make you feel badly. We are all on different walks, living different lives. Yours is what is right for you and your family. ♥️

Basically, this satire is effective because it feels so familiar to so many of us whether we’re crunchy or not. We’ve ALL watched a reel or overhead a conversation about motherhood that makes us feel like our choices are somehow inferior. It’s also worth pointing out that Emily’s account has only been up since January (of this year!) and she has 69K followers. Clearly, her content is hitting a nerve. Or a funny bone. Or both!

Which accounts do you follow that manage to promote a crunchy lifestyle without falling into the trap of sanctimoniousness? Which accounts have you stumbled across that let their judge-y flags fly freely? Also, why is it that holistic/wellness/crunchy rhetoric can become so enraging so quickly?

*I do not own an East Fork Pottery mug but I obviously have coveted one for years.