Is there anything more lovely on a nice day than seeing families playing at the park? Kids being away from screens and the house, getting their energies out on the playground is a beautiful sight indeed. Such joy. Such innocence.
But when you’re the mom with the kids at the playground, the reality has a slightly different feel.
Don’t get me wrong. Taking kids to the playground is awesome in many, many ways. Kids love to play and having a place for them to run and climb and slide and swing is fabulous. But the playground is sneaky. The fact that the kids are outside and occupied sort of fools you into thinking you can take a bit of a break from the relentlessness of parenting, but oh ho ho no. That’s simply not a thing.
Parenting at the playground is just a different level of parenting. With the wee ones, you can’t take your eyes off them for a second, lest they wander toward the road or into a duck pond or away with another family whose snacks look yummier than yours. With the slightly older ones, they won’t let you take your eyes off them for a second, with a constant stream of, “Look at this! Watch this! Watch me do this!” Adorable? Yes. But also a little much when Mommy is tired and was hoping for a little respite.
Mom and viral video maven Tiffany Jenkins highlights these truths and more in her hilarious reenactment of park day parenting. The video has been viewed more than 7 million times, and it’s not hard to see why. No one does the “everymom” better than Tiffany Jenkins, and she is definitely the everymom here.
Presenting “Taking my kids to the playground be like” with the subtitle “Thing I say at the friggin playground.” Enjoy:
How accurate is that? From the multiple potty requests to the smelling of the sad flowers to the , she truly captures the funny reality of being an exhausted mom taking kids to the park. And if you’re someone who struggles with any form of social anxiety, you probably also appreciated the eye contact panic.
Going to the playground isn’t necessarily the fun and games it appears to be. We know it’s good for kids’ social, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. We know this. But it’s basically like taking all the normal parenting stuff and transferring it to an outdoor space with random strangers, other kids, and bathrooms where you don’t want your kids to touch anything. (It is infinitely better if you can meet another mom friend at the park. That’s 100% the way to go if you must go.)
If you found this video entertaining, I highly suggest checking out Tiffany Jenkins’ other videos. She not only tackles parenting with humor and wit, but she also digs into mental health issues in a way that’s relatable and real while also being hilarious. In addition, she speaks about addiction as a person in recovery and provides a welcoming community for everyone dealing with any of these issues. She’s kind of impossible not to adore. You can find and follow her on Facebook at Juggling the Jenkins.