EACH WEEK, A different Irish parent chats us through a family photo from Instagram and explains what was really going on outside the frame – from tantrums to toilet disasters.

Fancy taking part? Email amy@thejournal.ie with a few lines about yourself and your kids for a chance to feature.

Stacey Grace Stacey Grace

This week, Stacey Grace (@itsthelittlethings5) chatted us through a photo of her son Kaiden after a long night. 

Tell us a bit about this photo. What inspired you to take it?

This photo was taken one sunny evening a few weeks ago. We were playing in the back garden and I sat down to have a cup of tea. Kaiden then asked for some biscuits to ‘dip dip’. His cheeky smile inspired me to take this photo. He was so happy with them – it really is the little things. 

What’s one thing that’s going on in this photo that you wouldn’t know from looking at it?

What you can’t see is that Kaiden is sick with hand, foot and mouth disease. He was up most of the night scratching and we both barely got any sleep. I was exhausted and my heart was broken from seeing him so upset and agitated. He wasn’t in the best of form and this was the first time I saw him laughing and smiling that day.

Did it take many attempts to get the right shot?

I took this photo in the moment, mid-giggle and I just love it – even if his face is covered in biscuit. One of the worst feelings as a mother is when your child is unwell. I was just so happy to see him smiling and feeling a bit better.

Do you have a family photo from Instagram with a great behind-the-scenes story? The day at the beach when the little one ingested a mouthful of sand – or the smiley photo taken just minutes after a tantrum? If so, we want to hear from you! Email amy@thejournal.ie with a few lines about yourself and your kids for a chance to feature in What You Don’t See Here.

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