A frustrated mother recently went viral for sharing a story after her husband received compliments from strangers during a shopping trip with the pair’s two children. The Maryland mama was upset because her husband wasn’t doing anything she hadn’t done hundreds of times before — yet he was praised simply because he was a man. The story resonates with other moms who say they’re tired of seeing their husbands and partners celebrated for sharing childcare duties.
The Photographer Posted Her Thoughts on TikTok
Emily Belson’s husband returned from a recent shopping trip with quite the story to share. “My husband just got home from the grocery store. He took both boys, they’re 1 and 2,” she began her video. “Three people stopped him to tell him what a great dad he was for taking them to the store.”
Moms everywhere likely know where Emily is going with this story since most of us have been in this position.
Emily Says She’s Never Received That Sort of Praise
As the video continued, Emily shared how she’s been in her husband’s shoes plenty of times, only without the admiration from her fellow shoppers. “Do you know how many times I’ve taken both of my kids to the grocery store, to literally everywhere? A million. How many people have stopped me to say I’m a great mom? Zero.”
She captioned the video, “Gold star apparently 🌟” with several hashtags, including one that said “#bareminimum.”
The Video Struck a Chord With Other Moms
Emily isn’t the only one who shops and carries out day-to-day tasks without praise from strangers. “Omg same w/my husband. He actually gets annoyed by it and tells them that he’s only doing what any other Dad should be doing and that his wife, me, does everything,” one mom wrote.
Another mom shared a similar story, noting her husband gets positive attention on the rare occasions he takes their twins out shopping. She said her hubby tells people his wife is the real inspiration since she’s the one out with them most of the time.
It Also Inspired Some to Want to Speak Up on Behalf of the Mamas
Emily’s video prompted some commenters to say they will change how they interact with moms when they see them out. “Gonna start telling moms they’re great for going to the store with their kids✌️,” one person wrote.
Another suggested that everyone offer some words of encouragement when they spot a mom and her children out in public. “Let’s normalize telling at least one mom they are doing a good job while we are out and about 🥰.”
Emily Spoke About Her Viral Video With Today.com
It’s clear from Emily’s interview with TODAY that this isn’t just a one-off experience. “I was at the store three days ago (with the kids) and no one blinked,” she said in comparison to her husband’s outing, which included a trip to the park and a visit to the grocery store.
“Three women — two older and one in her mid-30s — stopped him in the produce department and in the check-out line,” she recalled. “They said what a great job he was doing and that he was a great dad.”
“There is a stereotype that both women and men tend to reinforce, which is that women are naturally better at raising children than men,” she continued.
Emily added that even her husband was aware of the hypocrisy of receiving compliments for his parenting. She said he told her the comments were “nice but ridiculous.”
This Isn’t To Say Dads Don’t Deserve Praise
Modern dads are more involved in their children’s lives than ever. But generally, the mom still handles most of the childcare. This is why it can be frustrating for women who notice a double standard regarding parenting praise.
Hopefully, Emily’s video and the conversation around it inspire people to consider how we view the division of childcare in America. We hope it prompts them to offer encouragement to both parents when they’re out and about with their children.
We have a hunch that some moms could benefit from hearing something positive about their parenting! 🙂
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