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One father’s argument about stay-at-home mothers struck a chord with TikTok users.
On 11 January, social media user Jared Sayre was captured responding to a commenter who’d argued that being a stay-at-home mom is a job. Sayre, who has a daughter, couldn’t let the message go without asserting his opinion.
“Being a stay-at-home mom is not a job whatsoever. It’s a privilege,” the TikToker proclaimed. “Do you know how many single mothers out there actually have jobs and then have to come home and do your job?”
In support of his perspective, Sayre noted how he’d taken four months off of work to watch his daughter at home. To him, that time was the “easiest s***.”
“I can do all the daily responsibilities that come with taking care of a house in no time, and other than that, all you have to do is watch your kid,” he continued.
Despite his passionate response, Sayre made it clear that he respects mothers who manage the household full-time. But he still thinks they can relax and simply lounge around when they want.
Dustin Poynter, the TikToker who stitched Sayre’s video, was displeased with the words that came out of the dad’s mouth. The Arkansas-based creator waved a massive red flag to indicate his objection and concern over Sayre’s argument.
Poynter remarked: “I am more frustrated than a mosquito sucking on a statue!” an exasperated Poynter exclaimed. Poynter grew up with a stay-at-home mom, and because he was much older than his siblings, he was very aware of how much work she was doing.
“I witnessed firsthand the stress that comes with maintaining an entire house— Olympic diving across the kitchen to save your child from putting its hand in the garbage disposal 50 times a day, listening to constant screaming meltdowns,” he continued.
On top of all that, Poynter added how stay-at-home parents have the extra responsibility of raising their children and ensuring they don’t “cause irrevocable physical and psychological harm to an innocent human being who didn’t ask to be here.”
Speaking to Today, Poynter explained what annoyed him most about Sayre’s argument. “What really bothered me is that he was putting people down for no reason,” he said. “He was trying to discredit a person’s hard work and make them feel bad. That’s not OK.”
The Independent has contacted Poynter and Sayre for comments.
Viewers online added their thoughts in the comments section of Poynter’s video.
“The audacity to think you just ‘watch’ your kids instead of ‘raise’ your kids,” one woman wrote, while another said: “Wait a minute stay at home mom’s are watching TV and taking naps. I must be doing this wrong.”
Anotherl commented: “’I’m able to do all the house work,’CAUSE YOU DONT HAVE A MINI ME RUNNING BEHIND YOU MAKING A MESS AS YOU CLEAN!!!”
“Dude…. going to work is my break,” a fourth admitted.
“I’ve been both. Being a stay-at-home mom is way harder,” a woman proclaimed.