Mom of 6 tells her kids she’s leaving town for one night—their immediate response left the stay-at-home dad rethinking his role
A casual conversation can reveal the dynamics within a family. A mom of six recently shared one such moment that left her speechless. In a candid video posted on Instagram on January 7, 2026, she playfully told her children she was leaving town for one night. The post made by Sharon Johnson (@sharon.a.life) amassed over 83K hearts, as many viewers found the scene both relatable and amusing. The kids' response, implying they could not manage without her, made her stay‑at‑home husband rethink how the family sees him.
In the video, the parents are shown in their kitchen working together, preparing food. Out of the blue, the mother turned to her children and said, “Hey, everybody, I forgot to tell you that I’m going out of town this weekend, okay? So I’m leaving tomorrow night, and I will be back Sunday.” Instead of answering calmly, the kids immediately shouted, “Well, what are we gonna do?” and “Who’s gonna take care of us?” The mother looked at her husband in mock shock, pointed at him, and said, “You have a stay-at-home dad!” Then she looked at her husband and teased, "Are you even here? Do they even know that you live here?” The dad laughed and shrugged, clearly amused by the moment. The post’s caption further highlighted the mother’s situation, “Reenacting it every time it happens. How am I still the default parent when he’s the stay-at-home dad?”
This moment also highlights how women are often seen as natural caregivers in families. A report published by Springer Nature shows that women take on more caregiving and household responsibilities than men, even when both partners share duties equally. Studies find that women spend significantly more time on childcare and household tasks, keeping the family running smoothly in many homes.
At the same time, stay‑at‑home dads are still far less common. According to a report by the Pew Research Center, in 2021, only about 7 percent of fathers in the United States were full-time stay-at-home parents, compared with 26 percent of mothers. That year, fathers made up roughly 18 percent of all stay-at-home parents, an increase from 11 percent in 1989, while mothers still formed the majority. Most stay-at-home moms (79%) said they focused on managing the home or family, whereas 23 percent of stay-at-home dads reported the same as their main reason.
The video has also gained over two million views since being posted online. Many viewers found the video relatable, with parents sharing their own stories and jokes about how children often default to seeing mom as the main caregiver.
@overthethreshold recounted, "I told my kids I had a work trip, and my youngest goes, 'Who will take care of us?' So I said, 'Well, who could take care of you if I am not here?' He thinks and says, 'Parker’s mom?' Dad was sitting right there." @_hilly.d wrote, "I just told my 9-year-old I’m going to a girls' Christmas party Sunday. 'Where will I be?' Home. You will be home. With the other parent." @renea_t_rupp remarked, "Because you’re the 'mama' never changes."
For more amusing family content, follow @sharon.a.life on her Instagram account.
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