After enduring months of discomfort, actress Jenna Hart discovered the source of her pain: motherhood.
Motherhood is often a whirlwind of joy and struggle, filled with moments of delight, chaos, and the occasional thump of a child’s head colliding with your face. It’s a constant juggling act, and moms often find themselves bearing the weight of not just their own belongings, but also their children’s. Whether it’s toys, snacks, or art projects, moms tend to accumulate an impressive collection of awkwardly-shaped items, which can lead to unforeseen consequences.
In a recent post on Instagram, Hart shared her experience of persistent pain in her right shoulder, which had gotten so severe that she was scheduled for an MRI to investigate the issue. With no clear idea of how she had injured herself, everything clicked into place when she caught a glimpse of her reflection one day and had an epiphany: “I THINK I’VE FIGURED IT OUT, PEOPLE. I’M A MOM.”
As the mother of two young daughters, aged 8 and 3, Jenna knows all too well the challenges of carting around everything they need. Children in these age groups are particularly notorious for refusing to carry anything, leaving moms to shoulder the burden. This reality applies to a range of ages, meaning that for years, moms are often weighed down by their kids’ belongings.
Typical Scenario
To illustrate, picture a typical scenario: Jenna pulls into her driveway after a grocery trip with her kids and begins the familiar routine.
Mom: “Alright, kiddos, we’re home! Time to bring everything inside.” (Unbuckles and steps out of the car, grabbing her diaper bag)
Mom: “You did an awesome job at the store. I was really proud that you didn’t try to eat anything.” (Heads to the trunk, loading up on groceries)
Mom: “How about we have lunch when we get inside?” (Grabs the bag of towels and swimsuits from swim class)
Mom: “What do you think? A bagel or a…ugh…sandwich?” (Struggles with a 12-pack of soda, wedging it against her side)
Mom: “A nice…peanut butter…sandwich…oh no…might hit the…gosh darn it…spot.” (Uses her right hand to open the back door while pinching a child’s art project)
Mom: “So, let’s… do… whew… okay… that. Sound good?”
Child: “Mommy, can you carry this stick I found?”
And… scene.
It often boggles the mind how vibrant children can suddenly transform into beings incapable of carrying their own backpacks once they leave school. Or how an energetic child can become unable to lift even a small pack of paper towels. We become so accustomed to carrying everything that we may overlook the toll it takes on our bodies. As Jenna experienced, sometimes it takes a physical manifestation of discomfort for us to acknowledge the strain of carrying all that weight.
Despite the backaches and shoulder strains, this burden is one we accept as part of motherhood—until we can secure our own personal mule (we’re thinking of naming it Benedonkey Cumberass). Fortunately, as kids grow older, they start to take on responsibilities, which eventually means that if they neglect to grab the ice cream bag, it might just melt all over the car, teaching them valuable lessons about accountability and teamwork.
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In summary, while motherhood comes with its physical challenges, it also offers the joy of nurturing and growing alongside our children. As we learn to navigate the complexities of parenting, recognizing the toll it can take on our bodies is crucial.