I can see the social media aspect of presenting the perfect child persona, but it is BS.
Going to three is exponentially harder. With two, one parent can usually manage both or worse each can manage one kid. Go to three and parents are outnumbered. And generally only two kids ever get along at one time, so there always the outlier. Even numbers are best it seems.
And moving to five children is another level. :) Parenting is what you do not a side project. Also the effects of parenting are more like keeping a good culture going and showing what are healthy ways of relating so that children can relate well to each other and enjoy being part of the family.
yeah, as a non-parent (ha!), my main exposure to parenting is my friends on social media. I don't talk to my parent friends about kid stuff much, because I don't care, and they don't care to tell yet another person.
I'm sure parent-to-parent IRL, people are a lot more negative (read:realistic) about their experiences.
Going to three is exponentially harder. With two, one parent can usually manage both or worse each can manage one kid. Go to three and parents are outnumbered. And generally only two kids ever get along at one time, so there always the outlier. Even numbers are best it seems.