A Woman Approached A Stressed Mom With Two Young Kids At A Restaurant — And Made Her Sob
There's joy even in the stressful parts of parenting.
fizkes | Shutterstock We’ve all had an experience when we wished we were in someone else’s shoes. That’s exactly what happened to mom of two and TikTok user Laura Elizabeth Graham while out having dinner with her family.
In the midst of a chaotic dinner with her kids, Laura Elizabeth Graham had a memorable interaction with another mom that brought her to tears.
Graham and her husband, Luke, took their two young sons, a three-year-old toddler and a 10-month-old baby, out to dinner. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite the pleasant evening they had hoped for.
“We were like, stressed, we can’t even talk,” Graham said. “I’m trying to feed the baby. Luke’s dealing with the toddler. Like, we’re kind of stressed and kind of annoyed.”
In the midst of the chaos Graham felt her family was experiencing, she noticed a couple sitting next to them. She immediately took note of their calm demeanor, saying, “[I] started off the night a little bit envious of this older couple enjoying a nice glass of wine, talking, hanging out,” she shared.
But, as is often the case, appearances can be deceiving.
Graham had an unforgettable encounter with the older woman that changed her perspective.
“She kept looking at me,” Graham said of the older woman. “I could tell she was, like, soaking in watching us.”
As Graham realized the woman was not looking at them because of the noise they were making, but because of the stage of life they were in, she made a shocking realization.
“In her eyes, I could see her thinking, ‘I wish I could go back to those moments with my babies,’” Graham said.
Just a few minutes later, Graham had to get her 10-month-old out of his car seat. Her husband was unable to help her because he was trapped by the design of the booth they were sitting at. Instead, the woman who had been watching them came to her aid.
“I just remember like yesterday when I was in your shoes, and I know you have your hands full,” the woman told her as she happily lent a hand. “It goes so fast,” she added. “I would do anything to have those moments back with my babies.”
The chance meeting left Graham in tears. After wondering if her family even should have gone out that night and worrying that her children might be annoying other restaurant patrons, one woman’s kindness reminded Graham of what was really important — enjoying the time she has with her children.
Psychologist Ruth Ogden explained to NPR that sometimes the monotony of parenting, dealing with tantrums and the everyday schedules and other stressors can make time feel like it's flying by. But to truly savor the beauty of parenting, you need to turn the tables on the doldrums and be present even through the tantrums.
Graham continued to cry as she filmed a TikTok video later that night to share the touching interaction with her followers. The video has racked up over 54,000 likes, with comments offering further support. “It’s so hard when you’re in the deep trenches of parenting to remember this! But so true!” one user said.
Several others shared their own experiences of being in the same situation as the older couple. One wrote, “That couple is me and my husband.” Another shared that her children are now in their 20s, saying, “I am coping with this new normal but it is so hard.”
Being a parent isn’t easy, especially when your kids are young. This is something Graham knows all too well. But the kindness of a stranger taught her an important lesson.
“It’s hard in the moment to soak in these moments," she said. "But that proved to me tonight that I need to do better at just … stopping, soaking it in, and cherishing the moments I have with my babies while they’re still young because it does go by so fast.”
No matter what stage of life you're in, always take time to enjoy being present.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment and news.