Mother criticises ‘double standard’ after husband is praised for taking toddlers to grocery store

‘Bare minimum,’ says the mother of two

A mother of two has exposed the “double standards” in parenting after her husband was praised for taking their toddlers to the grocery store.

Earlier this week, Emily Belson, from Maryland, went viral on TikTok when she jokingly called out her husband for doing the “bare minimum” when it comes to raising their two sons. “My husband just got home from the grocery store,” she began the clip, which has since been viewed more than 100,000 times.

The 31-year-old mom explained that her husband took both their sons, who are one and two years old, to the grocery store where he was stopped by strangers and applauded for his parenting skills. “Three people stopped him to tell him what a great dad he was for taking them to the store,” Belson said.

The TikToker went on to share just how many times she’s brought her children along to the grocery store, but said she has yet to be stopped by a stranger.

“Do you know how many times I’ve taken both of my kids to the grocery store, to literally everywhere? A million,” she revealed. “How many people have stopped me to say I’m a great mom? Zero.”

“Gold star apparently,” Belson captioned her candid video, along with the hashtag: “#bareminimum”

The comments section was immediately swarmed with fellow moms who complained about the “double standards” in parenting.

“Right? My husband is a great dad but I am sick of people telling me that when I do so much more,” one person wrote.

“I remember taking four and no one ever remarked about my wonderful parenting,” another said.

A third mother commented: “Omg same with my husband. He actually gets annoyed by it and tells them that he’s only doing what any other dad should be doing and that his wife, me, does everything.”

However, some people expressed their frustration at Belson’s video, as they proclaimed that “it’s not a competition” which parent does more for their children.

“Parenting is not a competition. We should acknowledge and support good behaviours of both parents,” one person wrote. “As a single dad, I do like hearing those things.”

In response, Belson said: “He is 100 per cent a fantastic husband and dad, I’m just laughing at the double standard!!!”

Meanwhile, other TikTok users took the opportunity to share how they will be appreciating fellow moms the next time they’re out in public.

“Gonna start telling moms they’re great for going to the store with their kids,” one person wrote, while another said: “Let’s normalise telling at least one mom they are doing a good job while we are out and about.”

Speaking to The Independent, Emily Belson explained how her husband came home laughing about what had happened at the grocery store that day.

“He absolutely deserves praise, he’s a fantastic dad! But it was hilarious since rarely have I been complimented on my parenting in public,” Belson said. “He was appreciative of the praise, of course, but was very aware of what a double standard there is for moms and dads.”

While the mom of two acknowledged how “frustrating” it can feel that women don’t always receive the same recognition as their male partner, she said it was “validating” to see how many mothers in the comments of her video have also experienced the same thing as her.

“I think, as a society, we have moved forward in so many ways to expect and appreciate both parents in any relationship contributing to their household and raising their children,” Belson said. “At the same time, there are definitely still strong gender role expectations. My hope is that anyone who feels unappreciated publicly feels the love and appreciation for all they do from their partner, family, and friends.”

As for how friends and family can show their appreciation for the moms in their lives, Belson suggested going out of their way if they see a mom struggling.

“Open the door for her, help her grab something on a shelf while she’s holding a baby, give her a couple kind words of encouragement if you can tell she’s having a rough day or having a challenging moment with her kids,” she shared. “Little things make a huge difference in someone’s day. I plan to send a drink over to the next mom I see at a restaurant juggling kids, trying to have a conversation and eat her own meal!”

Emily Belson isn’t the only parent to recently go viral on TikTok. This week, a husband went viral after being exposed for his loud reaction to his wife revealing she’s pregnant with their fourth child.

In a TikTok video shared by The Cofer Family, mom Anissa revealed her husband James’ less-than-thrilled reaction to finding out she was pregnant yet again. “When you’re done having babies but get a positive test and your husband’s reaction isn’t what you expected...excuse the language,” her caption read.

As James pulled out a note his wife had placed in an envelope, his mood immediately shifted once he realised what was coming next. “Stop playing with me. Anissa, it’s not... Anissa, no!” he screamed.

James begged, “Baby, please tell me you’re joking,” hoping Anissa was pranking him, but the mother of his children quietly told him she “wasn’t playing with him”.

“F**k,” James said. “No! Babe, I’m not joking. Don’t do this to me. Babe! F**k!”

“Needless to say, she’s the blessing we never knew we needed,” Anissa captioned in the video, which now attracted over seven million views on TikTok.