Fresh Take: Sara Petersen on Mommy Influencer Culture

Why do the "momfluencers" who post perfect pictures of their crisply dressed children in lavender fields hold such a sway over us, and what can we do about it? Sara Petersen, author of the new book Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture, gives us a glimpse into what makes mommy influencer culture so seductive.

Sara Petersen also writes the newsletter In Pursuit of Clean Countertops, where she explores the cult of ideal motherhood.

Amy and Sara discuss:

• What exactly a momfluencer is
• How parasocial relationships can backfire on momfluencers
• The benefits of momfluencers on social media

It's natural to want external validation that we're "good" mothers by collecting likes of our carefully staged pictures on social media. In addition to simply logging off Instagram for awhile, it's good to check in with yourself about what you really value as a mom versus what you feel pressured to perform for others, and that could save you a really stressful trip to a blueberry patch.

Here's where you can find Sara:

• Twitter and Instagram: @slouisepetersen
• In Pursuit of Clean Countertops: https:///sarapetersen.substack.com/about
• Buy Sara's book: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780807006634

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