Have you noticed that “mom hacks” are everywhere? From easy, healthy snack ideas to gentle parenting scripts, it’s a super common phrase and hashtag because moms are always looking for a way to make life easier for themselves and their families.
Lately, I catch myself noticing every time an influencer says, “I have a mom hack that will make your life so much easier.” And yes, it gets my attention. I’m immediately curious what magical solution is about to fix #momlife while also being highly skeptical that anything truly will.
My Ultimate Mom Hack Is Friendships With Other Moms
I get why mom hacks are appealing. Who doesn’t want color-coded snack bins, clever lunchbox tricks or a folding system that changes everything? But after reading and trying plenty of these so-called hacks, I’ve realized something: the only real mom hack isn’t a system. It’s friendships with other moms.
We search for hacks because we’re tired, overstimulated and we want to do things well. We don’t want to miss a single moment with our kids. Social media quietly pushes the idea that we can optimize everything from our three-year-old’s sock drawer to meal prep to screen time schedules. And coming from a mom who loves efficiency and is very open to trying new systems, there is no perfect routine that removes the chaos or prevents the parking lot meltdowns.
I Find Comfort In Sharing The Weight Of Motherhood
What actually makes motherhood lighter for me isn’t a better system or an organized Tupperware drawer, even though I do love a good drawer moment. It’s sharing the weight of motherhood.
I find so much comfort in my friends who are in the exact same stage as I am. That is moms with kids similar in age who can swap potty-training stories without judgment. But I also have two dear friends whose kids are grown, out of the house, married and one is even a grandma. What makes those friendships so grounding is our shared values and perspective. They offer calm when something feels urgent or catastrophic. They remind me that this season is temporary. They’ve lived it. They bring wisdom, not panic.
My Mom Friends Have Become My Lifeline
And the moms in the same stage? They’re my lifeline. On a freezing winter day, I met a friend and her kids at a museum. Our children are close in age, and between chasing them around exhibits, we talked about where to sign up for soccer, which swim lessons are worth it, how much TV time is realistic and yes, stories about Target meltdowns. It normalizes the shared struggle of motherhood. Sometimes the most powerful sentence you can hear is, “Oh, that’s happening at your house too?”
I recently had a full-circle moment when I encouraged a mom in her first year postpartum by telling her it’s okay to give B-level work in certain seasons. We don’t have to give A+ effort in every area of life all the time. That conversation reminded me that none of us ever fully “figures it out.” We’re always learning. The ropes keep shifting from the newborn stage, toddler stage, teen stage. Some of us have just been holding them a little longer.
My Mom Friends See Me, Support Me and Steady Me
So if you’re searching for the best mom hack, here’s mine: it’s not something you can buy. It’s not a checklist or a productivity trick. It’s having women around you who see you, support you and steady you.
Find the moms ahead of you. Hold tight to the ones beside you. And don’t forget to reach back for the ones just starting.
That’s the only #MomHack I’ve found that actually works.
Cassidy Vineyard Pflanz
I’m originally from North Platte, NE, and Lincoln has been my home for more than a decade. My husband, Justin, and I have been married for almost ten years. We welcomed our first child, Maxwell, during the pandemic, and our youngest, Zoey, arrived in a much calmer chapter of history.
Justin and I are both small business owners—his in the motorsports industry, and mine as a personal trainer and social media manager. Our flexible schedules have allowed us to prioritize family life. When I have a spare moment, you can find me diving into photography, a good book, a favorite podcast, or the kitchen. Motherhood may not be as glamorous as social media makes it out to be—it’s demanding, exhausting, and often messy—but I can’t wait to share the beautifully messy journey with you!
