If you’re only going to watch one show as a new parent (or a seasoned parent, an adoptive parent, a tired parent or any other variety of mom), it needs to be “Workin’ Moms.” The writers of the show based several scenes on events from their own lives, and the authenticity is palpable.
The nuanced characters are painfully real — so much so that, as you watch it, you can’t help but feel seen. Here are 25 relatable “Workin’ Moms” quotes to remind you why the show is worth watching (and rewatching).
Just be warned: These moms don’t sugarcoat parenting in the slightest.
“Can we all be brave adults and just admit that babies don’t need yoga!?” — Anne Carlson
Anne, a gruff, tell-it-like-it-is psychologist, has a knack for saying what we’ve all been thinking. Most of the characters in the show meet in a mommy-and-me class, which is great for toddlers, but does a 2-month-old really need a $200 yoga class?
Come on. Those classes are excuses for new moms to get out of the house and interact with other humans who don’t soil themselves every hour. Totally valid but also not necessary.
“Look, they’re not winning any blue ribbons, OK, but they stuck in there. You know, they may be a little deflated, but they’re not throwing in the towel.” — Kate Foster
Yes, Kate (the show’s lead character) is talking about her boobs, and most women who have carried a child know exactly what she’s talking about. Even if you don’t breastfeed, there are just some things about your body that are never quite the same again.
It’s not bad, necessarily. Just different.
“Not kill me. I’m not suicidal. Just leave me brain dead for like a week, you know? Like a brain dead vacation!” — Frankie Coyne
We felt this so hard. While Frankie does experience postpartum depression in the show, even moms who don’t can relate to the sheer exhaustion that comes with raising a newborn. Sometimes, it’s so tiring that you just want to stop existing for a while. It’s not that you don’t want to live, it’s just that you’re too tired to actually do so.
If you haven’t had this thought yet, just wait until the four-month sleep regression hits, and a nice, gentle coma for a few days will start sounding awfully refreshing.
“Is the baby calling the nanny Mom yet?”
Kate is a successful marketing executive who adores her work. When she goes back to the office after maternity leave, however, adjusting to the separation from her baby is way harder than she anticipated. When her coworker asks her, “Is the baby calling the nanny Mom yet?” Kate can’t help bursting into tears.
If the scene feels extra real, that’s because it is. The exact same experience happened to the actress who played Kate in real life. And if anyone has the gall to suggest women are soft for feeling overwhelmed while trying to be a good mom and also focus on their career, we have some words for them.
“Shut it, you monster. Your mother’s a goddamn angel.” — Anne Carlson
Anne is the mom we all wish we’d run into at the park. No matter how much we love our kids, they can kind of be jerks sometimes.
It’s always nice when a fellow parent has your back instead of judging you, especially when your kid is acting out in public.
“I love you buddy, but mommy is gonna check a little bit of email — not because I’m not dedicated to your walking development but because it’s boring.” — Kate Foster
Finally, someone said it. It’s 100 percent possible to love your baby to the ends of the Earth without being enamored by every tiny thing they say and do. Board books just aren’t that interesting, OK? How many times can you watch tummy time before you desperately need to put on some real pants and make a coffee run for your sanity?
That doesn’t make you a bad parent. That just makes you human.
“Just because we’re dressed like princesses, that doesn’t mean the darkness isn’t creeping in.” — Frankie Coyne
This Frankie quote captures the reality of postpartum depression scarily well. Many assume that postpartum depression means you’re miserable 24/7, or even that you regret becoming a mother. For most women, that’s not the case. It can feel like you’re enjoying a sunny day at the park with a baby you love with your whole heart, but you never know when storm clouds are going to roll in.
It can also feel like you have to put on a happy face to avoid judgment. It’s great to see a show that removes some of the stigmas from such a common, difficult experience that so many new moms have to cope with.
“You’re not gonna die. You’re gonna kick some [butt] because being a girl is awesome … We birth life. I’d like to see your dad do that.” — Kate Foster
When Anne’s tween daughter, Alice, gets her first period, Kate happens to be the only one around. And she handles the situation like a pro.
The moment she shares with Alice is so heartfelt and honest. She doesn’t pretend that everything about being a woman is fair or fun, but she reminds Alice that the tough stuff we have to go through only makes us tougher.
“Listen, I don’t even know if I’m a good mom, but I’m not getting out of this crib. I don’t know what I am, but I’m damn sure you’re not the determining factor in that.” — Kate Foster
Can you say mic drop? One episode shows Kate leaving a work trip early because her son, Charlie, gets seriously ill. She was so invested in her work that she hardly noticed how dire the situation was and then felt incredibly guilty when she realized her priorities were off.
Once she made it to the hospital, however, she wasn’t going to let anything come between her and Charlie again — not even a nurse who was just following hospital protocol.
“I am gonna shave your head. No, you know what? You’re going to eat cold food for a week.” — Anne Carlson
We love this quote because it proves that even psychologists can make some pretty dubious parenting choices, especially when it comes to punishments. No one has all the answers, not even the experts.
Parenting is wild, y’all. Be patient with your kids, and be patient with yourself, too.
“Can’t tell you how strange it is to get pregnant right at the top of my game.” — Kate Foster
Moms who are both raising a family and killing it at the office often feel caught between two worlds. One world expects you to channel your soft, gentle, emotional side, and the other challenges you to be tough, savvy and focused.
Switching gears constantly is a big ask, but working moms learn to do it daily.
“How would you feel if you were a little person and you lost every argument all day?” — Val Szalinsky
The leader of the mom group, Val, is a little nutty, but her heart’s in the right place, and she has some surprisingly poignant lines. This quote is a valuable reminder that toddlers haven’t been on Earth very long.
They have no idea how the world works, they hardly know how to feel their own feelings, and a bunch of giants tell them what to do all day. Cut ’em some slack.
“I am thinking, and there’s a line, and it’s wine. The wine line.” — Kate Foster
Moms don’t just have to work on their relationship with their kids but also with their partners. When Kate’s husband, Nathan, is on an intense health kick, Kate’s mostly on board. Eating healthy is important, after all, but so is not hating your own existence.
There’s a time for 6 ounces of salmon, and there’s a time for cheese cubes and a glass of pinot noir. It’s called balance.
“Nobody says we have to be connected to our kids all the time.” — Anne Carlson
Preach. People used to think that being a good mom meant shaping your entire life around your kids. One of the biggest lessons that we’ve learned since more women have joined the workforce over the past several decades is that it’s entirely possible to be a present mother without being present all the time.
Parents also go through periods in which they clash with their kids for one reason or another. Not every age and stage is easy, and it’s OK not to feel close to them every single day. As long as you’re still trying to connect, you’re doing fine.
“I’m looking forward to date night so much, I’m wearing an underwire bra.” — Kate Foster
Kate and Nathan have a hilarious exchange about the realities of dating after kids. To this quote, Nathan replies, “What is this, spring break?”
If you’re breastfeeding, don’t expect to wear an underwire bra for a long time, but you can pull it out for those special occasions — like ordering takeout and watching “Workin’ Moms” on the couch with your partner.
“You can’t let the animals run the zoo.” — Kate Foster
One woman in the mom group, Alicia, does her best to give her child agency, even when he’s behaving badly. Kate makes a perfectly valid point: Zoo animals without zookeepers would probably eat each other. It would be chaos.
Neither Alicia or Kate is wrong, necessarily. It’s just harder than you might think to strike a balance between letting your child express themselves and preventing them from becoming entitled ego-maniacs. If you figure out where the line falls, let us know.
“Eight months is not that much time. Soldiers with PTSD are given longer.” — Jenny Matthews
While Jenny isn’t the show’s most lovable character, we love her for making this point. In the U.S., maternity leave is abysmally short for most new moms.
It’s about time we caught up to countries like Bulgaria, which offers a whopping 410 days of paid maternity leave.
“I just quit (breastfeeding and I’m in heaven).” — Kate Foster
If you think that something can’t be beautiful and terrible at the same time, you’re definitely not a mom. Starting with pregnancy, motherhood teaches us just how many experiences in life can be a confusing mixture of wonderful and awful. Feeling your baby’s first kicks? Overwhelmingly joyful. Not being able to sleep because of persistent sciatica? Not so great.
The same goes for childbirth, breastfeeding and just about everything else about the wild journey of parenting. Every mom also experiences motherhood uniquely. There’s no right or wrong way to feel about any of it, breastfeeding included.
“Leave my daughter alone.” — Anne Carlson
The outspoken Anne has a knack for saying what the rest of us would love to say and that includes her defending her daughter against students in her class by calling her the b-word.
Teenage girls can be vicious. Even though we know that a 13-year-old mean girl isn’t mature enough to be fully held accountable for her actions, wouldn’t it be satisfying to put her in her place?
“You guys never say no? So, can I borrow $100,000?” — Kate Foster
Parents who never say “no” are a different breed. Gentle parenting is a completely valid and respected philosophy — but to never say no ever?
What are you going to do when your kid decides to jump off the top of the play structure? Is there really time to have a rational conversation with them about whether or not that’s a sound decision? Or are you just going to yell “no” at the top of your lungs?
“Sometimes, you gotta do something crazy to remember who you are.” — Val Szalinsky
What is it with Val and all these weirdly deep quotes? She has no idea what to do with her two teenage boys, but she’s not terrible at offering a fresh perspective to new moms in distress. She says this line to Jenny after Jenny makes the impulsive choice to get a nipple piercing.
Considering it’s Jenny we’re talking about, it’s tempting to make a snap judgment. But Val reminds us that when you become a mom, you lose the version of yourself you used to be. You have to redefine your own identity, and if that leads to the occasional bizarre decision, so be it.
“The secrets in a marriage are like fleas in a bed; you can leave them to fester, they’ll both have you sleeping on the couch.” — Kate Foster
When your mind is fully occupied trying to be a good parent and to not drop the ball at work, it’s frighteningly easy to let your relationship with your partner fall off your priority list.
Secrets start small, but they don’t usually stay that way. It’s best not to keep secrets at all.
“Brenna’s a bad influence, so her parents are coming over, and we are going to crush them.” — Anne Carlson
Just another fun reminder that very few things about parenting are black and white. Every kid makes mistakes. If you think your kid has never told a lie, either you’re kidding yourself or your kid hasn’t learned to talk yet.
It’s not always easy to determine who’s really telling the truth, so before you jump to conclusions, make sure you hear every side of the story.
“Remember, your dad is never your dad. He’s always a cop.” — Anne Carlson
One of the most challenging aspects of being a parent is realizing that you can’t shield them from the harsh realities of life without keeping them from living at all. At some point, you have to start letting them explore their independence.
It sucks to have to shatter their innocent worldview, but it’s way better to equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to keep themselves safe.
“My professional diagnosis? You’ve had one hell of a year.” — Anne Carlson
When you’re feeling burnt out and questioning whether you’re a terrible mom, just listen to Anne. Motherhood is hard.
In most cases, you’re not a bad mom, and you’re not crazy. You’re just human. Hang in there because the rest of us are in the exact same boat.