That Moment When You Totally Lose Your Cool as a Mom (In Public)

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The scene is all too recognizable: The kitchen resembles a tornado aftermath, overflowing with homework assignments, dinner prep chaos, and a neglected Play-Doh project from your 3-year-old. One child is whining about being hungry, another is shouting from the bathroom that she needs assistance, while the little one is darting around trying to “pet” the family dog. Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and a frazzled delivery guy needs three separate signatures as the kids swarm behind you, eager to see who’s at the door. Just as you manage to shut the door, the sound of dinner boiling over pierces through the air while the smoke alarm blares—loud and clear that you’re losing control.

You are the ringmaster of this circus.

Then you get the call: your partner will be working late due to a business dinner he “forgot” to mention. Right as you hang up, one of the kids throws up all over the kitchen table, ruining another child’s homework. All three kids burst into tears.

It’s overwhelming. The noise, the mess, the sheer chaos.

And as much as you might hate to admit it, you completely lose your cool right there in the middle of the kitchen because, honestly, the noise is so loud you can’t even hear your own thoughts.

Yep, we’ve been there.

We’ve all had those moments when we’ve completely lost our composure in a spectacular fashion, to the point where the kids warn each other that Mom has “the crazy eyes” and dash for their rooms when they sense an eruption is imminent.

In my 14 years of parenting, I’ve had my fair share of meltdowns. But the time I lost it while wearing fuzzy slippers and a bathrobe in the middle of our street, with neighbors watching, stands out as my most embarrassing moment.

Before I dive deeper into this tale, it’s important to note that my partner has zero sense of urgency. He’s as laid-back as they come, even when he’s running late. Meanwhile, I’m a creature of schedule; the thought of going through my day without a watch gives me the heebie-jeebies. It’s a classic case of opposites attract, and our different views on punctuality have never been clearer.

On the fateful morning of my epic meltdown, it was my partner’s turn to take the kids to the bus stop. Knowing the bus driver often arrives early, I kindly reminded everyone that departure time was approaching. But with my partner in charge, I ended up stewing quietly in the kitchen, sipping my coffee.

7:15 a.m. 7:17 a.m. 7:20 a.m.

With the bus typically arriving at 7:24, I ramped up my protests, yelling, “They’re going to miss the bus!” to the ceiling.

At 7:21 a.m., we finally reached the shoe, backpack, and coat stage of the morning. I kissed the kids goodbye and from the front door, urged them to hurry. By “urged,” I mean I hissed, “Get moving!” through my gritted teeth, all while donning my thigh-length bathrobe covered in cheerful pink roses and those fluffy slippers.

7:22 a.m. came, and of course, so did the bus—early, as expected. Naturally, the kids were six houses away, and despite their best efforts, the bus driver shut the door just as they reached the last house. From my perch on the front porch, I could see my son standing bewildered in the street, arms outstretched in a “What the heck?!” moment.

As my partner caught up with them, looking scattered, that’s when I snapped. That moment in my parenting journey will forever be known as the “missed bus heard round the neighborhood.” It wasn’t enough for me to stew on my porch.

Nope.

In a fit of mom rage, I hopped in the car and sped down the street. According to witnesses (because I pretty much blacked out at that point), I leaped out of the car, struck a Sumo wrestler stance in the road, and screamed, “I told you they’d miss the bus!” to the shock and amusement of our seven neighbors who had made it on time.

As mothers, we are always right. We know exactly how long it takes to get kids ready, and on that particular morning, my partner’s cavalier attitude pushed me over the edge. I know it was irrational, and I’m sure I looked like a raving lunatic, but I simply couldn’t take it anymore. The kids missing the bus meant our entire morning was thrown off just because my partner couldn’t manage to be ready five minutes earlier. Seriously.

As I vented my frustrations in the street and my friends chuckled at our marital chaos, my partner did his best to calm the situation. He apologized profusely, hands waving in surrender, and offered to drive the kids to school, likely to stop me from creating a scene akin to something from a dramatic movie. As my anger subsided, I reluctantly adjusted my bathrobe, gave my neighbors a half-hearted wave, and shuffled back to the car, eager to leave the spectacle behind.

Just as I reached the car, I heard my partner say, “Oh, by the way, which school am I supposed to take them to?”

Folks, let’s just say my partner is now crystal clear on how to get to my son’s school.

So, moms, the next time you find yourself losing it during a chaotic afternoon, just remember: it could be worse. You could be standing in the street in a floral bathrobe, yelling at the top of your lungs in front of your pearl-clutching neighbors.

In Summary

Every mom has those moments of sheer chaos where everything goes wrong, leading to some seriously embarrassing outbursts. Whether it’s a missed bus or a chaotic morning, it’s important to remember that we’re all in this together, and it could always be worse!