Over the past year, collectively, we've been through a lot — and while we definitely don't want to discount anyone else's struggles, we will admit that moms have had a unique challenge during this pandemic. Along with taking health and safety precautions and missing friends and family, moms also had to keep their kids alive, too — and helping the kids with distance learning has proven to be just a tad stressful as well.
It's been rough, but along with everybody's increased screen time (including ours) we've gotten to see a lot of the internet we probably wouldn't have otherwise. From funny TikTok moms to moms on Instagram and YouTube, there's been the potential for a lot of creativity — and a lot of viral videos and posts that made us laugh even when we were stressed beyond comprehension.
We can finally see the light at the end of what once seemed like an endless tunnel, and before we know it, it'll be safe to live our lives the way we remember them back in good old 2019. But for now, we've really gotta hand it to these ladies. They kept us going!
Our BFF Ebony
Back in August 2020, this mom, Ebony, made a video checking in on her fellow moms at a time when most of us weren't doing so hot. "How are you? Did you get any sleep last night?" she asks after telling everyone who isn't a mother to scroll on by. If this video hit you at the right (wrong) time, you might have even cried when you saw it.
The Morning Announcements
Most of our kids did so much of their school year online in 2020 that they missed out on the tradition of morning announcements, so this mom decided to make it happen from home! Using an intercom in her own home, she made the announcements first thing in the morning before online school began.
A Quarantine Theme Song
It was very early in the pandemic (think first week of April 2020) when mom Jeni Borders decided to create a song for her fellow moms riding the quarantine struggle bus.
"Oh my God, I've been locked up inside for 18 days and now I'm gonna lose my mind," Jeni sang, later lamenting having to go to the grocery store and not having enough quiet time to herself as her kids left their toys all over the floor.
Club Quarantine
Our kids couldn't celebrate their birthdays the way they (or we) would have wanted to in the past year, but this mom made it happen anyway. When her son turned 21, she made up for him not being able to hit a bar by creating Club Quarantine in her own house. She was the bartender, Dad was the bouncer, and they all took shots together to celebrate. So cute!
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend were the true heroes of the early pandemic days. They frequently went live on Instagram to entertain fans, whether they were broadcasting a wedding between two of Luna's stuffed animals or performing John's greatest hits as Chrissy sat drinking wine on top of his piano.
Updating the Resumé
Working from home with kids can be a huge struggle, so mom Lauren Griffiths updated her LinkedIn profile to show the reality of the situation. She swapped out her professional photo for a more realistic view of what she looks like from day to day, and explained her decision in a post that went viral on the site.
Lauren said: "Today’s remote world has blurred the lines between my professional and personal selves, so I’ve chosen to represent that in my photo. Barely dried hair, comfy pullover, ripped jeans — slightly frazzled from having just gotten 3 kids ready for 'school' — but smiling and ready for work."
The Target Pandemic Dress
At the end of 2020, a collection of dresses from Target went viral after people pointed out that they looked more like they belonged in the Spanish flu era than COVID-19. But mom Laura Schultz decided to have a full photo shoot in one of the dresses, resulting in some LOL-worthy photos.
A Hybrid Learning Parody
In this parody, Dena Blizzard made a video as if she was an administrator explaining how hybrid learning was going to work for the kids, pointing out how confusing the entire thing has been for parents all over the country. Arbitrary rules, ever-changing cohorts — it's funny because it's too real.
Kat Stickler
Not already following Kat on TikTok? The time has come, friends. This mom went viral during the early pandemic for her adorable family (including baby MK, shown here in this Princess Diaries video) but now that she's a single mom, she just keeps sharing the funny, real content fans fell in love with her for.
The Most Realistic Out of Office Email
Khara Jabola-Carolus posted this email on Instagram, showing what an actual OOO email would say if working moms during the pandemic were honest about how much they were struggling.
"I hope to respond to your message, but like many women, I am working full-time while tending to an infant and toddler full-time," she wrote.
Pandemic Teeth Brushing
For some of us, self-care really went by the wayside in the early days of the pandemic — nobody was leaving the house, and people weren't exactly in the best of spirits. This tweet from Becky Viera shows that sometimes, we've just gotta line our kids up and make them do it!
Jennifer Garner's Reaction to 'The Office'
In August 2020, Jennifer shared that she and her kids had finally finished watching The Office after they began the series in quarantine, and she cried like a baby talking about how much the show meant to her in this video. What she didn't know is that she filmed the video in slo-mo until she watched it back, and honestly, the footage speaks for itself.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Add another celebrity mom to the list! Sarah Michelle Gellar summed up how most of us were feeling about distance learning over the past year in this photo, where she's holding a sign that's a parody of the ones kids hold up on their first and last day of school. This is an achievement that deserves to be celebrated!
The Evolution of Quarantine
Many of us really, truly fell in love with TikTok over the past year for lack of other sources of entertainment, and that includes mom Shannon Payton. She's gone viral on social media for her funny parenting videos, and here, she explains the evolution of TikTok obsession from the beginning of her quarantine.
Things We Don't Say Anymore
Mom Keren Sadeh's TikTok videos are generally funny, but her pandemic-related ones are especially so. Example: Her series on things we won't say after this year, like telling our kids to blow the candles out on their birthday cake or offering anyone a Corona to drink.
Bobbi Althoff
This entire TikTok is a parody of moms who take their "crunchy" lifestyles to the extreme point of endangering their kids. Bobbi's alter-ego, Alexandria, has a daughter named Richard (yep) and frequently shares videos of her ridiculous life as a mom, including this video of her trying to get her butt back after baby.
The Wrong Shirt
This mom went viral for reassuring us that if we ever thought we were a bad mom for a mistake we made, we're definitely not alone! In this video, she explained that she let her daughter wear a funny shirt to school that said "sasshole," but forgot it was school picture day and the end result made her shirt look like it said something a bit different.
Pandemic Moms Stereotypes
This YouTube video hilariously showed all the different approaches moms are taking to the pandemic — from the mom who's just here for the wine to the mom who's actually excited about the change in pace and, of course, the mom who's relying on coffee to get her through.
A Homeschooling Mom's Prayer
Many of us had to transition into the role of mom and teacher this year, and it definitely hasn't been easy. We totally get why this mom was asking for help from above — and she was so hilarious at the same time.
"The spirit of common core has attacked our household," she says in the video. "Right now, the only thing we have in common is frustration and no answer to the math problems."
Kristen Bell
In May 2020, Kristen Bell showed how homeschooling was going: Like this. Notice how she is the one on the computer while her kids are snacking and literally climbing on her. It looks like it was probably quite an adventure for Kristen, Lincoln, and Delta — and very familiar to what the rest of us have experienced, too.
