Rachel Kiser
Blogger | Mom of Two

I used to have it together, generally. I had never before put the cereal in the fridge and the milk in the pantry, or claimed I had lost my phone while talking on it, until I became a mother. Sleep deprivation and too many irons on the fire will do that to a person, right? It’s actually incredible. I’ve come to grips with it.

One of the most encouraging things is when you learn that other moms do the same weird stuff, too, every day. No, you’re not the only one:  celebrate!

That is precisely why we are thankful for moms like Amy Weatherly, who honestly shared this wonderful list of absent-minded, ridiculous things we all might do if we’re a ‘normal mom’ (if there is such a thing!).

If you have to clean the toys out of your tub before you use it…

If your Netflix suggestions are a mix of “Breaking Bad,” “Captain Underpants,” and “Boss Baby”…

If your kids wonder where you’re going just because you put on makeup…

If crumbs fall out of your bra when you put it on…

If you’ve ever dropped your kids off at Sunday School and thought, “I wonder if they’d know if we went and got brunch instead”…

We are dying. Basically every single part of this post is so relatable it hurts.

I’m also almost positive that I do have a half-eaten box of Lucky Charms in my pantry because someone(s) ate all the marshmallows out of it.

When Weatherly was asked why she thought this list resonated so much with other moms and was so widely shared, she said it was because of the connection between us that is just so necessary.

“If you can cry with other women, if you can laugh with other women, if you can share tips and ideas with other women — you’re going to be much happier, stronger for it,” she says. “If we could all just stop wearing these ‘Pinterest Mom‘ masks and just admit we don’t know how to make a top knot look cute, or how to throw our kids a lavish birthday party, or how to keep our kids busy for more than 35 seconds with arts and crafts activities, we’d all be a little happier.”

That is so true. When we get real with each other, that’s where the magic happens. The most important thing someone can say to another is me, too. So find your people. The mom who will let you see her mess, the one who sits in the gym lobby on her phone because she’s enjoying that last few minutes of free childcare, the mom whose car is full of crumbs. And don’t be afraid to let others see your moments, either. Every one of us is just a normal mom, after all.

About Rachel Kiser

Rachel is a wife and mother living in Raleigh, North Carolina. She’s a fan of good coffee, wearer of gray t-shirts, and is constantly starting books she will never finish. Her family is her joy, and she loves to engage with other moms and dads on matters of parenting. Her blog posts have also been featured on the Today Show Parenting Blog and Scary Mommy.

View all posts by Rachel Kiser here.