A mom’s viral TikTok shows how differently dads get treated at the doctor’s office, and it’s painfully spot-on
You know how moms get judged and shamed for every little thing while parenting, yet dads get heaped with praise for doing the literal bare minimum? It’s something that’s been happening for pretty much all of time, but that doesn’t make it any less infuriating. Now, one mom is highlighting the issue with a painfully true TikTok video highlighting the differences in how moms and dads get treated when they take their kids to the doctor.
In the video, mom Clare Brown impersonates the receptionist at her doctor’s office, but she flips the script, talking to a mom the same way people in that position often talk to dads.
@clarabellecwb It’s tough, but this is what hands on mothering looks like.
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“Mom! We never get moms in here,” she says, alluding to the fact that while moms are actually expected to be present at all their kids’ check-ups, dads are usually expected to be absent.
She continues, “What a wonderful way to spend time with your child. It is so important. I know you’re so busy but you’re making the time.”
Brown then hands over a clipboard and some paperwork and immediately excuses the mom in this scenario who didn’t know how to fill it out.
“That’s okay, mom, you tried,” she says. “I think that’s all that matters. Why don’t we have dad fill this in at the next appointment?”
In the rest of the skit, the mom doesn’t even know her kid’s birthday and then learns that she got the appointment time wrong altogether (which is blamed on “dad,” who is also given all the responsibility of scheduling and fielding reminders for a new appointment).
“I would have never found my mother at my doctor’s appointment growing up,” she says at the end. “You are one lucky little boy to have a mom like her.”
Ugh, it’s too relatable, and it shows in the comments. “Oh mom! She tries so hard. Really, dad should appreciate that she even tried,” one wrote. Another flipped this age-old joke: “It’s always so nice to see moms babysitting their kids.”
The bar is too low. Time to hold dads to a higher standard than this.
