“Dear Exhausted Mother Who Fell Asleep On A Bench…”

Story via Babble.com by DadCamp

As much as we want to say parenting is not a competitive, contact bloodsport — it is.

But this Facebook status from my friend Tara Jean might have just ended it all. With one simple non-judgemental comment, Tara Jean could have, single-handedly, ended the so-called Mommy Wars.

Tara took her son and daughter to a play place for some indoor fun to escape the rain this weekend. While she was chasing her kids up and down slides and through mazes, she peered over her shoulder and saw a “sister” passed out.

The mom was zonked. Crashed. Down for the count. Her kids were running around the play place and she was counting sheep.

Typical behaviour in the Mommy Wars would include passive aggressive subtweets, complete with a stealth Instagram of the snoozing Mom. Not from Tara Jean. Instead, she served up this:

“Dear Exhausted Mother Who Fell Asleep On A Bench At “Fun 4 Kidz”…I got you. Your little girl was thirsty, I gave her water. She hit her head coming down the big purple slide, I gave her a hug. It’s been an hour since you fell asleep, I won’t leave ’til you wake up…hopefully rested and ready to face the weekend with the warrior-energy us mamas need to parent with a smile on our faces”

~ Mama Tara Jean”

No snark. Just support. An instant “I feel you, sister” moment.

When the mom woke up, they chatted, and even though Tara Jean didn’t bring up the sleeping part too much, she was embarrassed.

“I told her it was all cool,” TJ told me. “But the mama-shame is strong in a situation like that, even when another Mama tells you it’s okay.”

So pay it forward, sisters and brothers. When a mother/father friend drops the slack, pick it up. Have their backs.

We all love our kids, we all want the best for them. Sometimes though, sweet sleep is too much to resist and it’s good to know someone unconditionally will give your kids water, pick them up after a bonk, and watch the room until you wake up.

(Photo via Facebook. Story via Daily Saint Via Babble)