
Norwegian Mom Doesn’t Censor What Motherhood Really Looks Like In Her 30 Illustrations
Being a parent may sound like an adventurous journey most of us would sign up for at some point in our lives, but in reality, the idyll can burst any moment. And Jade Nordahl, a mom of Abel and foster mom of doggy Abbey from Norway, knows it all too well.
So one day, she took a pen and started drawing the humorous moments of her everyday struggles. From baby taking up all her space in bed, to her son eating unidentified berries she strictly forbids him to, Jade’s illustrations are a full-on chuckle fest.
All bloodshot-eyed moms who can’t remember the last time they had a good night’s sleep and dads who enter a meeting only to realize their precious little devil left a blurp on their shirt, this something you can finally relate to.
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Jade Nordahl from Norway has gained quite a bit of momentum on social media, where 40.6k Instagram followers are following her life and motherhood in colorful pictures. Bored Panda reached out to Jade Nordahl, the mom of six-year-old Abel, to find out more about her daily life and her passion for drawing.
Jade confessed that “the first months with Abel were exhausting, everything was new to us, but I often say he’s the one who taught me patience.” When her second child Mila arrived, Jade said it was “a totally different experience than we had with our first one” and that she always had a big smile on her face.
She started doing illustrations when her youngest was 6 months old. “I always liked drawing and doodling, and it felt kind of therapeutic to sketch the situations I had been through that had brought me to tears either from frustration or laughter.”
Jade then put her drawings on Instagram and received a lot of positive feedback. “People were grateful that I was sharing images of the honest hardships of motherhood in a fun way, and not just a glossy picture of a happy family,” she said.
Jade also said that when she’s in the middle of a frustrating situation, she always tries to see the humor in it. “That’s often a good indication that this is a moment worthy of an illustration,” the mom of two added. The illustrator concluded that even though “family life is busy and exhausting,” it nevertheless “fills my heart with joy and pride every day.”
The success of Jade’s honest illustrations is largely due to how relatable parents find the frustrations of raising their children. And if that wasn’t hard enough, the current pandemic has taken it to a whole new level. These days, it’s not just household chores, sleepless nights, and painfully funny incidents—it’s also homeschooling, making sure your kid is staying safe and healthy, and trying to not lose your mental sanity while doing that.
No wonder so many parents find themselves struggling to maintain family harmony. Bored Panda spoke to Jamie Heston, a board member at the Homeschooling Association of California, who said that parents “should do what they need to do to get through their days and manage everyone’s stress as needed by adjusting expectations and being realistic about what can be accomplished during any given day.”
Most importantly, Jamie said that parents should let go of rigid expectations of what surviving the pandemic should look like.
“Lower expectations and take this opportunity to spend unstructured time with your kids. Both parents should make a concerted effort to be involved so the responsibility is not only on the woman in the family,” she told us.
The particular situation is unprecedented, so Jamie believes that “it calls for new ways of dealing with it.” So, whatever you do, don’t be too harsh on yourself as a parent, because being one is already not easy.
My toddler still doesn't realise my hot cocoa is not coffee or tea... and that nutella isn't just some dark version of peanut butter. Don't know how long I can keep this up.
For some reason my toddler used to like to drag his slobber lips down my face he said he was a snail😐
This! My 1yo will find any "lumps" in his mashed potatoes and mercilessly dismiss them, but happily eats sand and anything that comes with it without hesitation. Seems legit.
Note: this post originally had 55 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
My son is 25. I don't remember parenting being this bad. Some good some bad times but not this bad. Ofcourse I didn't allow some of these behaviors though. Not a tough disciplinarian but firm. A lot of laughter, he was really funny, still is.
Why is having a pet always portrait as the best thing and having a child as the worst thing here on bp?
Ah having kids isn't the worst, but as a parent it makes you laugh seeing you're not alone. Most of time it's fine and fun and full of happiness and play. Sometimes you're exhausted but it is funny to see all the childhood moments portrayed in such a way
Yes,having kids is a huge commitment and is very often exhausting.I just don't like the eternal bias here
It always used to be that having children (and motherhood in particular) was portrayed as nothing but the most amazing, fulfilling and essential experience in existence. Now more people are starting to share the hardships and ugly reality. It is neither all good, nor is it all bad, but the existence of posts like this has made me much more certain that I made the right decision not having children. Now when people look at me with pity or concern about being a childless woman, it's much easier for me to smile and say I am happy and have no regrets.
Seriously. Pets require way more yuck-tolerance than children do, and for much longer.
I see your point and I think it is because for a very long time people who didn't want children were judged and criticized and have been told that it's wrong but now this thing can be said a bit more easily, especially on this kind of platforms, and childfree people want to raise awareness that not wanting kids is okay too and they want to feel understood just like parents do. It is fair that some have taken this attitude and their voice a bit too far, but it's not like parents can't be jerks too, right?
happiness as a parent is an illusion. Tons of research and evidence supports this so don't bother with your opinion
Azure Adams,so when there is no happiness,why do parents get a second ot third child?You are full of s**t with your "tons of research".Nobody said that having children is easy but you are just talking nonsense
My experience as a happy parent doesn't count then? Sorry, I didn't realize your ¨reaserch¨ makes my life a lie or something.
Then why is going home and having my kids run into my arms make my life complete? I am happiest when im home with my family. The hugs and cuddles, the inquisitive mindsets they have, exploring science together, art, sharing meals and laughs. My heart is complete, my life is full. I never knew true love and happiness until I had my first child. I'm so sorry you feel it is an illusion and I hope your life improves
Happiness as a parent is reality. Never have I ever wanted anything more badly than to have a second child, how do you explain that? I am tired most of the time, to and it is not always easy, but I have two beautiful children and looking at these very relatable comics made me lol. I already miss them being this little.
Azure Adams Good response!
This is so much like my life when my kids were little! They give so much love but they take all your energy! If you know someone who is thinking about having a kid show them this! LOL
My son is 25. I don't remember parenting being this bad. Some good some bad times but not this bad. Ofcourse I didn't allow some of these behaviors though. Not a tough disciplinarian but firm. A lot of laughter, he was really funny, still is.
Why is having a pet always portrait as the best thing and having a child as the worst thing here on bp?
Ah having kids isn't the worst, but as a parent it makes you laugh seeing you're not alone. Most of time it's fine and fun and full of happiness and play. Sometimes you're exhausted but it is funny to see all the childhood moments portrayed in such a way
Yes,having kids is a huge commitment and is very often exhausting.I just don't like the eternal bias here
It always used to be that having children (and motherhood in particular) was portrayed as nothing but the most amazing, fulfilling and essential experience in existence. Now more people are starting to share the hardships and ugly reality. It is neither all good, nor is it all bad, but the existence of posts like this has made me much more certain that I made the right decision not having children. Now when people look at me with pity or concern about being a childless woman, it's much easier for me to smile and say I am happy and have no regrets.
Seriously. Pets require way more yuck-tolerance than children do, and for much longer.
I see your point and I think it is because for a very long time people who didn't want children were judged and criticized and have been told that it's wrong but now this thing can be said a bit more easily, especially on this kind of platforms, and childfree people want to raise awareness that not wanting kids is okay too and they want to feel understood just like parents do. It is fair that some have taken this attitude and their voice a bit too far, but it's not like parents can't be jerks too, right?
happiness as a parent is an illusion. Tons of research and evidence supports this so don't bother with your opinion
Azure Adams,so when there is no happiness,why do parents get a second ot third child?You are full of s**t with your "tons of research".Nobody said that having children is easy but you are just talking nonsense
My experience as a happy parent doesn't count then? Sorry, I didn't realize your ¨reaserch¨ makes my life a lie or something.
Then why is going home and having my kids run into my arms make my life complete? I am happiest when im home with my family. The hugs and cuddles, the inquisitive mindsets they have, exploring science together, art, sharing meals and laughs. My heart is complete, my life is full. I never knew true love and happiness until I had my first child. I'm so sorry you feel it is an illusion and I hope your life improves
Happiness as a parent is reality. Never have I ever wanted anything more badly than to have a second child, how do you explain that? I am tired most of the time, to and it is not always easy, but I have two beautiful children and looking at these very relatable comics made me lol. I already miss them being this little.
Azure Adams Good response!
This is so much like my life when my kids were little! They give so much love but they take all your energy! If you know someone who is thinking about having a kid show them this! LOL