What went viral this week: A mom defends Shakira and J. Lo + the beauty of working motherhood

This mom’s viral post highlights hypocrisy in halftime show criticism

If you’ve been finding the criticism of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s incredible halftime show a bit tiresome you are not alone. Two amazingly talented superstar mamas took America’s largest stage and dominated it…yet people are still panning their outfits and their dance moves.

But one mama isn’t taking it. In a viral post, she points out that seeing women with their midriffs exposed during football games is…well, nothing new. Case in point: The cheerleaders. So what’s the difference with J. Lo and Shakira showing their bellies and shaking what their mamas gave them? Is it because they’re moms?

Because let’s face it, there’s this weird, unfair idea that mothers aren’t allowed to be sexy. And that’s not okay.

Luckily, this mama came through with the perfect example of why we need to drop the hypocrisy and stop criticizing what these two incredible women did on the Super Bowl stage. Let’s instead applaud Shakira and J. Lo for bringing an amazingly entertaining, meaningful and empowering performance. These two mothers are total forces.

Viral photo shows how airline went above + beyond for one little boy

If you’ve ever flown with a child , you know that sometimes stuff gets lost. You also know that when certain things get lost, meltdowns ensure. And another thing you know? That a meltdown is exactly the last thing you need when traveling with little ones.

But sometimes it all turns out okay. Southwest Airlines just shared a story that proves this to be true: A little boy named Grayson reportedly lost his teddy bear during a recent trip. The team at Southwest scoured high and low for the bear, which was never found. But they offered to make it right by giving Grayson another teddy bear…and the slideshow the social team made to introduce the boy and his new bear is adorable!

Dealing with the loss of a special stuffed animal or toy is never easy (and sometimes it’s downright traumatic), but moves like this make the lives of parents and kids a little bit easier. Kudos to Southwest for taking major steps to making this situation right (and fun!) for this lucky little guy.

This viral Instagram post shows how hard working motherhood is—and how capable moms are

One thing we can all agree on: Being a working mom (or really any kind of mom) is so, so hard. Juggling all your responsibilities, staying in the moment at work and when you’re with your kids, prioritizing your own health…it’s just a lot to manage.

But one mama is making an incredible point about what motherhood can do for your career and it’s highlighting the upside. “My behavior did change when my child was born. But for the better,” the mama says, according to a viral Humans of New York post . “I became more efficient. For the first time I was able to set limits, and have people recognize them. My limits never seemed valid before. Exhaustion wasn’t valid. Mental health wasn’t valid. But having a child gave me a firm reason to say ‘no.’ It’s not ‘no’ to working harder. It’s ‘no’ to excess.”

This particular mama is starting a business with a fellow mom, so she obviously understands how hard to juggling act is. She also understands how motherhood forces you to attack your goals with a greater sense of focus and to realize what really matters. “I don’t have time for [excess] anymore. I have to recognize what’s most important. I don’t have time for endless debate. I have to go straight to the source of the problem, or my kid is going to pee her pants,” she says.

We love this reminder so much. Because yes, motherhood is a job in and of itself, and it makes maintaining your other commitments that much tougher. But it also makes you tougher.

A triplet’s triplets turn 1! Remember these viral babies?

Remember when we told you about a mama who happened to be a triplet and had her own set of triplets? Her story was incredible—and the way her triplet siblings came through to help her raise her own kids warmed our hearts.

But Judit Minta’s babies are no longer babies (cue the mama tears)—they just celebrated their first birthday! Her triplets, Filip, Amelia and Henrik celebrated their birthday with the most adorable cake-and-balloon setup. Judit shared photos of the celebration on her Instagram feed.

“No one can ever prepare you for what happens when you have children,” the mama writes. “When you see the babies in your arms and you know that it’s your job now. No one can prepare you for the love and the fear. No one can prepare you for the love, people you love, can feel for them.”

So true—your child’s first birthday is such an emotional day for a mother. Can you imagine what it’s like when all three of your kids are turning one at once?

“A year ago today an amazing journey has begun and I have become a mother,” Judit writes. “Filip, Amelia and Henrik came to the world strong and healthy and they made me so happy, happy beyond words.”