b'final mattersMom Comparison:The Next GenerationPeeking behind the Instagram curtainBY OLIVIA MACK MCCOOLI fyoutypemynameintoInstagram,whatity of what I cook makes me a living. Second, and youll be presented with are many little color- crucially, my children attend the most wonderful, lov-ful squares filled with enticing food checkereding, local daycare. The women there are the reason with well-lit selfies and photos of two very cuteI am able to go to work and do what I do. I have a blonde babies. But what you dont see is what Ivery involved dad (a.k.a. Poppy) who is often at our think is more interesting.home helping out. My husband works very hard and At least once a day I receive a direct mes- has a salary job at a big corporation, which allows me sage on social media or a query from a fellow momto have a freelance job that offers no benefits and no IRL (thats what the kids call in real life) asking, in sojob security but does creatively fulfill me. I am in bed many words, how its possible I can be cooking thatby 9:30 p.m., which is the least fun of all the tactics much, with that level of quality, while raising two ba- but absolutely necessary to pull it all off.bies. It often comes in the form of, Do you cookTheres a reason why all my photos of food on so-Every. Single. Day. ??? or When do u sleep? Andcial media are taken very close up: Surrounding me I get it! Because when I observe other mothers thatis a kitchen that looks as though a bomb has been always have a perfectly clean home or their kids areset off. Working in a field where the main goal is to always in coordinated clean clothing, I want to knowproduce images of food and drink that look perfect, I exactly the same thing: How? And why isnt it likecan wholeheartedly advise you never to trust a photo. that for me?If you find yourself pausing on the profile of a Social media brings a new element to parenting.mommy blogger, food account, or even a supermodel Mygrandmothers,mother,aunts,orwomenolderand feeling down about your own state of parenting and wiser than I did not and could not have given me advice when I was preg- andbeing,pleasecheckyourself. nant about how to handle what I like to call the mom comparison game.Its not all what it seems to be, and Im sure even without the internet, women have been comparing themselves toyou sitting, being present with your each other for millennia. But social media takes it to a whole new level for mychildwhileyouspoonfeedthem generation.boxed macaroni and cheese is the Whether youre aware of it or not, repeatedly seeing what is strategicallyultimate expression of love. curated to appear perfect has an effect. I am the first to admit it. Im affectedAll of this goes to say that those by it as a woman and a mother, but I also have a bit of a brand on social medialittle photo squares show about 8 that needs to be upheld. I do my best to keep it somewhat real in what I presentdegrees of the whole 360. to the world, but the nature of my work as a food stylist and recipe developer isOlivia Mack McCool is a recipe de-showing people beautiful food, and lots of it.veloper, cookbook author, food stylist In response to all the questions about how I fit everything into 24 hours, Iand mom who lives in Maplewood. often take a minute to shed some light on the massive amount of scaffoldingFor a peek into her admittedly curat-holding up my lifestyle and work, which the grid of pretty pictures does not show.ed slice of life follow along on Insta-Right off the bat, cooking is my job. I make money from cooking. My familygram @oliviamackmccool and for her often reaps the benefits of eating that food, but between photo shoots, recipework making food look perfect checkRaising these two boys and working as a recipe developer and food stylist requires a development assignments and my weekly newsletter, the overwhelming major- out oliviamackmccool.com large support system.58/ matters magazine / fall 2022'