Sara McGinnis
posted in Parenting
Do you know why it is so many moms are endeared to certain famous counterparts, such as Chrissy Teigen and Pink?
I’ve long believed it to be because of their ability to be open and share their lives despite inevitable criticism, but I’m realizing it’s even more specific than that. Plenty share highlights, but we have a special love for the few that can share their fails.
Pink, who shares 6-year-old daughter Willow and 1-year-old son Jameson with husband Carey Hart, recently had it bluntly pointed out to her by a fellow mom at the grocery store. The singer’s tweet detailing the encounter:
A really sweet Mama came up 2me tonight at the grocery store and told me some nice words about how she gets strength from my parenting cause I’m not afraid to fuck up in public. We cried together. It’s so hard. Y’all. I wish us mamas could give ourselves and each other a break.
— P!nk (@Pink) December 28, 2017
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Group hug, all. (Said in the sincerest of ways. Parenting really is a long, wild ride.)
Pink’s tweet has inspired others to share their stories of random kindness encounters. Here’s a sweet one from a woman named Betty:
One night 12 years ago I was at a casual fast food restaurant (@BajaFresh) and my youngest was throwing food, my older ones bickering and my husband embarrassed. An older beautiful woman, 75 or 80 yr old woman came up to me, held my hand and said,
— Betty (@Betty_Begen) December 28, 2017
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“Don’t expect perfection, your little one is exploring, learning, and growing. Even Jesus threw food, and was a baby.” She kissed my cheek. That moment has impacted me so deeply. I always stop to encourage mothers with young children. It’s so important as women that we show
— Betty (@Betty_Begen) December 28, 2017
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The simple compassion in that tiny moment, still makes me tear up.
— Betty (@Betty_Begen) December 28, 2017
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I’m a little too shy to go up to a stranger and share a few words, but I do often try and throw a commiserating, supportive smile to moms who are elbow-deep in a tantrum. I hope that as others are muttering the kid needs a good spanking (yes, I’ve really overheard that) my happy face says to the mom, “You’re doing just fine.”
Images by Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock, Kristin Callahan/ACE Pictures/REX/Shutterstock
It’s not all mommy wars out there. What random acts of kindness or compassion have you been a part of?