Being a parent is full of challenges, especially when you’ve had a long day and no longer know how to calm your babe down. All parents have been there and know that sometimes, the help you get from unexpected sources is what pushes you through. That’s one reason this relatable but sweet story of a mother in Texas has gone viral.
What a Waitress Did When She Saw a Customer Having a Hard Day
A mom in Forth Worth, Texas, hit that hard place in 2019 when her 18-month-old son, Dominic, had a particularly rough day.
The ordinarily sweet tot was teething and cranky; no matter what Jessica Ibarra did, he wouldn’t calm down. So she decided a change of scenery was in order. She packed him up and took him to grab some of his favorite pancakes.
Once Ibarra entered Café Republic though, she realized it was a terrible idea.
“He started to fuss pretty bad and I was like, OK, we’ve got to get out of here,” Ibarra recalled to an ABC news outlet. She worried people were judging them, so she asked for a box and tried to pack the food without even sampling it.
Then, a server named Laura Zaku saw her and stepped in.
“I said, 'I have been there. Oh my gosh, I need to go help her. I know what it’s like,'” Zaku, a mother of two older kids, added.
How One Waitress Gave a Struggling Mom a Welcome Break
Zaku came over and offered to help. At first, Ibarra thought she meant help packing up the food. But then the server shocked her by offering to hold her son instead.
“I was like 'No, I’m here to help you relieve so you can eat,’” Zaku explained. “I said, ‘I’ve been there, I’m a mom myself. We’ve got this. We’re going to do this. You’re going to eat and I’m going to hold him.’”
So Zaku held Dominic, and he melted into her arms. In turn, Ibarra was able to eat peacefully, all while her son got a reprieve of his own.
RELATED: Waitress Sees a Mother Struggling With Fussy Baby – What She Does Next Shocks the Whole Table
In that moment, it was what they both needed to break out of their funky day. By the time they’d eaten, both mother and son were considerably happier.
When Ibarra got home, she had to share the story of the sweet server who went out of her way and showed kindness to her and her son. So she posted about her encounter on Facebook, where it went viral with likes and shares.
“I can’t explain how much that meant to me. Servers are incredible. Moms are incredible. It takes a village,” she wrote.
“I just did this because of who I am. It's just the mother in me,” Zaku responded, as though people just offer to hold babies for struggling mothers daily.
How One Waitress Proved It Takes a Village to Raise a Child
So many people responded to this simple but heartwarming story because, as a parent, everyone has been there. When babies cry incessantly at restaurants, on airplanes, or at the store, it’s easy to worry that you’re annoying or upsetting others. It’s a stressful situation that often only stresses out the baby even more, creating a cycle of upset feelings.
Having someone step in and offer to help can sometimes be the thing that makes or breaks a parent’s day. Holding a fussing baby so a parent can pay a bill or have a meal is a game changer.
RELATED: Waitress Soothes “Fussy and Teething” Baby So Mother Can Finish Her Meal
This story motivates us to offer a helping hand the next time we see a parent struggling, even if it’s something as small as holding a door for a mom with full hands or letting the parent of a crying kid ahead of us in line at the store.
Those small gestures are what people mean when they say it takes a village to raise a child. Even though that child may not be yours, by lending your kindness, generosity, and patience to them and their parents, you’re helping to raise them in a better place.
woman speaking to another woman sitting opposite herWestpac Banking
elderly couple laughing and drinking coffee outside a restaurant
