My Accidental Boycott of NSD

A day late and a dollar short? More like a week late and I don’t really care.

Last week, I accidentally boycotted National Sons Day. It was the day after National Daughters Day. At least on Facebook. I can’t keep up with all these made-up social media holidays. I can barely keep up with real holidays!

I know these are well-intentioned and supposed to be fun. But for someone like me who’s already anxious and easily overwhelmed, they’re stress-inducing. I’m in a particularly ‘full’ stretch right now with work and family obligations. I don’t have time to sort through thousands of photos to find just the right one of my boys and then craft a heartfelt, pithy sentiment professing my undying love for them, or gush about my extreme admiration and pride for the young men they are becoming. (FYI, as a writer, this pressure feels particularly heavy.)

The same goes for the Senior Photo Challenge on IG and FB. I’ve been nominated by many, including my bestie, and I have respectfully declined every invitation because I know myself … I cannot commit to researching and posting every day for ten days. It’s just not gonna happen. Posting a blog once a week is my limit.

SIDE NOTE: I did share a few preschool and kindergarten photos of my high school senior in my The First of the Lasts posts a few weeks ago (reread it here). It wasn’t 10 days of photos, but I share enough old photos on the blog that I’m considering my senior photo challenge complete.

I’m not begrudging anyone who does participate in these social media holidays or challenges. I (mostly) enjoy seeing your photos. For real. And even when I don’t, I still usually heart them because I can see it brings you joy. I support you; it’s just not for me.

So for anyone reading this who’s thinking of nominating me for any upcoming social media challenges (and yes, that includes those “Let’s see who’ll read and repost this long-ass message on FB), please don’t — unless you want to be let down. It’s not you, it’s me.

And for those who are secretly judging me for my unintentional intentional boycott of National Sons Day, you can suck it. My boys know I love them fiercely, whether I blast it on IG and FB or not. To prove it, here are a few of my favorite photos …