In today’s digital landscape, social media plays a complex role for millennial and Generation Z mothers, acting both as a crucial source of support and a platform for intense scrutiny. This dynamic is explored in two recent books that examine motherhood across historical and contemporary contexts, revealing how societal expectations continue to shape—and often constrain—the experience of being a mother.

EJ Dickson’s book centers on the modern phenomenon of “bad moms” and how digital culture amplifies conflicting standards. Drawing on her personal experiences as a mother and journalist, Dickson highlights how social media turns parenting into a performance, where mothers are simultaneously uplifted and vilified. She presents the archetype of the “good mother” as typically thin, white, affluent, and self-sacrificing, whose children exemplify ideal behaviour worthy of sharing online. In contrast, the label of “bad mother” encompasses a wide range of women—from career-focused mothers to those engaging in controversial practices—often weaponized to police women’s choices and reinforce social control.

Dickson underscores how these judgments disproportionately burden working-class and Black mothers, who face greater consequences for parenting decisions influenced by economic hardships and systemic inequalities. She also traces connections between maternal anxieties and the rise of conspiracy theories among some groups of mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that the desperate quest for acceptance and “good mothering” can sometimes lead to extreme behaviours.

The author candidly shares personal challenges, including dealing with her children’s developmental concerns and navigating the often isolating pressures of contemporary motherhood. While her tone is frequently humorous and irreverent, the book raises critical questions about empathy and the unrealistic demands placed on mothers today.

Complementing this contemporary analysis, Elinor Cleghorn offers a sweeping historical perspective on motherhood, tracing its evolution from ancient times to the present. Her work documents early advice and practices surrounding fertility and childbirth, many rooted in superstition and outdated medical theories. Cleghorn’s historical lens emphasizes mothering as an intentional, creative labour rather than a passive biological role. The book highlights the harsh realities faced by marginalized mothers throughout history, including enslaved Black women who were often forcibly separated from their children.

Cleghorn draws attention to enduring cultural narratives that define motherhood as an inescapable female duty, a perspective that continues to influence debates today amid ongoing maternity care crises and shifts in reproductive rights policies globally.

Together, these works illuminate the persistent tensions between societal ideals and lived realities for mothers—across centuries and digital platforms—and call for greater understanding of the multifaceted nature of mothering in a rapidly changing world.