Mom’s rant about being an anxious mess at the playground is SO relatable
There are two types of moms on the playground: The ones who plunk their kids down to play and then settle onto a bench to read a book, scroll their phones, or chat with other moms, and the ones who cannot take their eyes off their kids for even a second. To be fair, it largely depends on the type of kid you have — some kids are just accidents waiting to happen at the park, despite your best efforts, and the skinned knee patrol must be at the ready at all times. But one mom posted a TiKTok video about wishing she could belong to the opposite camp, and TBH, a lot of parents are going to find it relatable.
“Okay, absolutely no hate. Absolutely no judgment. I’m genuinely curious. This is for parents. I want to know because honestly, I think I would like to maybe get to a point where I could be a little bit more relaxed like this,” TikTok mom Lydia began in her video.
She continued, “When we go to a playground, there are some parents … Y’all are able to just like sit at a picnic bench … [and] you just chill. Whether you’re reading a book, or you’re like, eating a snack. You’re just very calm And I don’t know how!”
So now we know which type of mom Lydia is.
To be fair, she goes on to explain that she has three small kids, so when she takes them to the park, she has to constantly run around to make sure she has eyes on all of them.
“My nervous system gets absolutely wrecked at a playground because I’m trying to keep track of all three of these children,” she said.
That’s fair! When you have three small ones, you’re simply not going to be able to relax at the playground. That’s just a fact of life.
“Do I think that someone’s actually going to take my kids? I mean, I don’t know, I feel like it’s pretty unlikely especially since I’m a vigilant parent, but like I would love to sit on a park bench and just like, enjoy the sunshine,” she said. “How do y’all do that?”
Well, for starters, the relaxed parents typically either have fewer kids, or they’re older and more self-sufficient. In the comments, plenty of parents pointed out to Lydia that it will get better. But they also shared some tips to help her find her zen at the playground.
“Mom of three here (4,6,9) it helps when I put them in matching colors.. all orange shirts for example. My brain can quickly scan,” one wrote.
Another added, “There is no chilling. No chilling at all. The best playgrounds are fenced and I can sit by the only exit while watching them.”
Now that’s a pro-tip.
