Why you should get in your family pictures each year. Forget what you look like, here are 5 reasons to STOP making excuses and get in your family photos!
So right around September I start thinking about our annual family photos. We’ve taken one around Oct./Nov. every year since my youngest was born 8 years ago. I will say I used to completely stress out about it. What we were going to wear, right down to the matching shoes (like in this pic) for the girls, hair bows, and wanting everything to look perfect……I’ve backed WAY off since then. But….we STILL take one each year and let me tell you why I’m SO glad I stuck with the tradition and why I’m glad I’m in all of them…even though I didn’t think I looked so fabulous at the time.
Tips for Taking Family Photos
- You WILL forget just how little they were – Every single year I think to myself “I’ll remember”, but inevitably the next year I can’t believe how much they’ve grown. This one above was taken 5 years ago and it seriously seems like yesterday, I remember ordering those shirts and the photographer we used that year. Now I wish I could rewind and have a child small enough to hold like my “baby” was then.
- They will want the memories – I don’t have even 1 professional family picture of my parents and myself, not 1. I’m an only child and my parents divorced when I was in middle school and boy would I like even 1 photo of the 3 of us together when we were still a family unit.
- You will appreciate what you looked like later – You may think you look “awful” now but get in your family picture anyway!! Believe me, 5-10 years later you will say “what was I thinking…I looked great then”. I look at pictures of me holding my kids as babies and I thought I looked horrid but seriously looking at them now I looked amazing for having a baby just months before and I’m so glad I have that memory to look back on now.
- Your kids are watching – Your kids want you in the photos….they do! If you are complaining year after year about not wanting to be included because of the way you look blah blah blah, they may do that themselves (using the same excuses) when they have kids. Plus, show your kids that it really doesn’t matter what you look like, you’re the BEST (and only) version of a Mom they have and you are an integral part of YOUR family unit…..get in there!
- You’re making memories – Nowadays I don’t plan family photos months in advance, heck….I don’t even shop for matching outfits anymore because it really doesn’t matter! The best portrait we took was one where I drug a dress out of my closet I hadn’t worn in a long time (too long), found a shirt that matched my dress for my teenager to wear, and pulled 2 dresses out of the “little girls” closets that complimented one another and BAM…..the best family photo ever!! From then on I did just that, everyone was going to be comfortable and it would all be OKAY.
Why You Should Take Family Photos
When I found out I had cancer….. This year was a bit different and quite frankly I had to re-read this very article when it was time to take our family photos this year in November.
You see I had a basal cell cancerous skin tumor removed from the top of my head in August 2016 and along with the long recovery came a bald spot and stitches near my forehead that was hard to hide. I had to wear a headband (remember like the ones in the 80’s) to hide the salve and bandages I had to wear for months while it was healing. I share my entire experience with basal cell carcinoma here.
I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to be in our pictures, but remembered my thoughts above and didn’t care what it looked like it had to be done. So, with a little creativity and small bobby pins I did it.
It isn’t my favorite picture of them all thru the years as far as the way I think I look, but really it is in fact one of my favorites in another. I will remember the struggles I went thru this year and why I made sure to be in it every time I look at the photo below.
- SO if you are still debating whether to be in your family photos I hope I’ve made you think, made you inspired, made you think you probably don’t have it so bad. If I can do it with a bald spot and the year I’ve had, you can do it too. 😉 Just. Do it.
Even if you just take cell phone photos, don’t forget to develop a lot of them using free prints. You can use them as gifts, make photo blankets, and create your own postage stamp out of them too.
For more easy recipes, tips and free printables please LIKE The Typical Mom on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest! You can also sign up for my free weekly newsletter which is packed with goodies I know you’ll love. 😉
Wrong. Some people hate having their photo taken and should NOT be forced to. Especially this day in age when people are constantly taking pictures.
awesome reminder!