New mom kept apologizing as her 8-month-old cried through the job interview — then the manager said the last thing she expected

Job interviews are stressful all the time. Now imagine being a new mother and having to attend one. Sounds rough, doesn't it? A new mother explained to her manager, Simon, that her babysitter had canceled and asked if her infant could accompany her. With permission granted, she brought her 8-month-old, who fussed constantly, prompting repeated apologies throughout the interview. Instead of reacting in a way that could have ended the interview, Simon said something that left the mom in tears. The experience posted on X on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, under the handle @Simon_Ingari gained more than 1.2 million views.

X user shared that he had received a message from a candidate at 11 p.m., asking if she could bring her baby to the interview. The new mother explained that since her childcare fell through, she requested the manager if she could bring her 8-month-old infant to the interview, or possibly reschedule. The manager revealed that while his old self would have rescheduled because of unprofessionalism and distraction concerns, he decided to change his stance and accepted her request. The next day, she turned up at the interview with her baby. However, during the question round, the baby kept crying, so she had to soothe him while answering the questions.

The mother felt embarrassed by her situation and repeatedly apologized for it. However, the manager stopped the interview midway and said something that brought her to tears. He appreciated the mother for answering such complex questions while managing a fussy baby. He also stated that her level of staying professional even during chaotic situations is what he is looking for in an employee. "That's literally the job. Handling chaos while staying professional. You're already proving you can do it," he said.

He soon hired her, and she has been working with him for over a year, calling her the "most reliable team member." Crediting working mothers for their responsible nature, he continued, "Working parents, especially mothers, are some of the most organized, efficient, and resilient people you’ll ever hire." Simon noted that when a mother is used to handling a screaming infant at odd hours and still shows up the next day to work and pretends that she got enough sleep, such employees are more capable of being efficient at work.

He also added, "If your interview process can't accommodate a parent facing a childcare issue, you're not filtering for professionalism." The manager's post gained approval from many online users who resonated with his sentiments. @RandomBiggz wrote, "She's loyal because you gave her a chance and even looked out when no one else would." @window_market wrote, "This isn't charity. It's talent recognition. Parents build real skills: crisis management, time discipline, and emotional control. Rigid hiring filters don't find the best candidates; they filter out resilience." @sarahkimani recounted, "My dad's first caregiver came for the job, straddling her nine-month-old baby on her back. It turns out the baby was what my dad needed to get better. He would babysit baby Makena as his caregiver went about her chores. Before we knew it, he was back to his jolly self."

For more content, follow @Simon_Ingari on X.

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