What’s a “wine mom?”
If you’re on the internet, you probably know all about wine moms — and how they operate. This term has been around social media for years. It’s actually become a trend, where some moms take pride in wine mom culture.
However, when you pour yourself some wine to deal with your problems as a parent, you have a more significant issue to handle.
Wine Mom Culture: The Basics
If you’re a mom who drinks wine, you’re basically a wine mom. This phenomenon first surfaced in the mid-2010s, when moms across the internet started to discuss how they drank wine to cope with parenthood. These mothers made videos and wrote blogs to poke fun at themselves.
Some memes feature phrases like “boxed wine is just a juice box for mom” and “wine… because yoga can’t solve all your problems.” These jokes highlight how mothers have turned to wine as a stress reliever. It’s a way for moms to join hands in a way that’s funny and relatable.
Though wine mom culture may not seem bad on the surface, you can quickly see how the jokes become harmful when you look at the finer details.
Ways That Wine Mom Culture Impacts You
For some, wine mom culture isn’t a lifestyle. It’s a funny post they laugh at when they’re on Facebook or Twitter, but they don’t necessarily participate in what the jokes say. But others are invested far deeper in the wine mom scene to the point where they now have a problem.
Essentially, wine mom culture can come with various repercussions. It’s a phenomenon that presents underlying issues for many women, especially the ones who already have issues with alcohol. Here’s a look at why wine mom culture isn’t the best choice for mothers.
1. It Glorifies Alcohol Consumption
Did you know that more than 17 million Americans struggle with alcohol abuse? It’s a serious concern, as alcohol can have extreme effects on someone’s mental and physical health. Alcoholism, like other substance issues, should never be glorified.
Unfortunately, wine mom culture basically promotes and praises alcohol consumption. There’s already an issue with alcohol consumption in America to the point where many experts have called the situation a public health crisis. These circumstances are especially harsh for women.
Thanks to wine mom culture, you may feel like alcohol abuse isn’t all that bad — and that’s far from the truth.
2. It Can Make You Feel Isolated
There’s another layer to the wine mom phenomenon that makes women think they can’t be moms unless they participate. If you see your friends share wine-related posts across the internet, you’ll eventually feel inclined to partake. It can get to the point where you feel isolated.
If you don’t drink wine like the other moms, you’re not really a mom, right? That’s how wine mom culture can make mothers feel. Motherhood can already be a challenging, lonely experience, so some might feel like they need to participate to fit in.
Though parenthood isn’t easy, most women who have kids love their jobs as moms. It’s the best role they’ll have in their lives — and to say they need wine to cope with their daily struggles can almost seem like an insult, as well. That’s yet another accidental repercussion.
3. It Normalizes Self-Medication
When you self-medicate, you turn to alcohol or drugs to cope with life’s issues. It’s an unhealthy way to manage stress and anxiety — and wine mom culture makes self-medication normal. Why not sit down with a glass of wine to help you feel less overwhelmed?
Those who participate in the wine mom scene may feel like they don’t need professional help. Instead, they can turn to alcohol to solve their troubles. That’s a dangerous precedent to set for people who need assistance.
Additionally, wine mom culture glosses over the actual resources mothers need to do their jobs better. For example, many American mothers can’t afford child care, so they have to work — but then, who cares for the kids? It’s an infinite loop that wine mom culture claims alcohol will solve.
You’re Better Off Without Wine Mom Culture
If you’ve participated in the wine mom phenomenon in the past, you shouldn’t feel bad. These posts can be pretty funny. Plus, they help moms feel some companionship in what can be an extremely tough situation at times. For the most part, wine mom culture has good intentions.
But even though wine moms probably don’t know the trend’s repercussions, you can educate yourself. It’s better not to be a wine mom so you can keep yourself healthy for your kids.
Rather than grab a bottle of wine to deal with parenthood’s ups and downs, you should turn to resources that will actually help you.
