The new Pay It Forward phenomenon on TikTok

From one mother to another: the new Pay It Forward phenomenon on TikTok

You walk down the baby aisle at Target and see the usual essentials: baby lotion, infant Tylenol, and something that doesn’t belong: a bag. Most people may not even think about it, but moms everywhere know what it means. Motherhood comes with the understanding that making daily sacrifices is part of the job. Mothers always sacrifice something they want for something their children need. In this case it’s a no-brainer; you leave the bag behind and take the baby’s essentials with you. Only this time, another mother noticed and understood what that bag meant.

This was the story of Denaesha Gonzáleza mom and creator who sparked one of the latest trends to hit TikTok by moms for moms, “She deserved the purse.” It started with a video that she hoped would resonate with at least one mom, but just under a month later, millions of moms were sharing their stories, starting conversations and starting a movement to pay it forward to the moms around the world who are opening their wallets deserved.

Breaking Down ‘She Deserved the Purse’

Denaesha Gonzalez was shopping at Target one day and was taken back to a time when, as a mother, she had to sacrifice not only her wants but also her needs in order to care for her son. So she made a short video recording of what she found in the aisle, and 4 million likes later, women are resonating with the feeling of being seen.

In one video in which she explains to her audienceshe says, “Every time I saw the bag, I didn’t see a mother complaining about putting the bag down; of course she put it down because she knew she had to take care of her child.” She continues, “You don’t even have to think about it, you just do it naturally… the wallet wasn’t the point; the point is just the beauty and the sacrifices we make as parents because we want to.”

The original video caught the attention of her friend, mother and fellow creator Cecily Bauchmann. Bauchmann was inspired to pay it forward to other mothers and encourage those who can do the same. In her videoshe says she remembered putting back certain things she couldn’t afford and starts going to the baby aisle and putting out gift cards with notes that say, “Hey! You deserve that special “you” thing. You are amazing! xoxo!”

A movement emerged where fellow moms and makers went to Target and put gift cards or money into baby products to show love to moms everywhere. Unfortunately, like most trends that reach a wider audience, this trend ended up on the wrong side of TikTok, with some people heading to stores to grab the cash for themselves.

Luckily, moms like Denaesha have found a way around that and continue to inspire us all to find ways to keep paying it forward.

Paying it forward to mothers everywhere

Make mommy candy bags

This idea comes straight from the original creator who sparked the trend. She saw what some people were doing online and took matters into her own hands. Gonzalez decided to go to Target and grab a few bags full of mom essentials like a robe, blanket, journal, pens, Stanley cup and more to hand out to moms. She went to Walmart, Target and Dollar General to hand them out in the parking lots as a token of appreciation. This is a great way to pay it forward directly to moms in your community; at least one good bag can make any mother’s day.

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Donate to organizations that help mothers

There are several organizations across the country that are committed to helping mothers everywhere. Below are a few you can get started with today.

Help a mother out

Help a Mother Out provides diapers to families in need, with the goal of improving the well-being of babies and families. Diapers are essential to reduce the risk of disease and enable babies to participate in early care and education programs. With diapers costing between $90 and $135 per month, many families struggle to afford them. Access to diapers is crucial to the well-being and future success of all families. You can donate to Help a Mother Out today by visiting www.helpamotherout.org.

Helping hands for single mothers

Helping Hands for Single Moms aims to support low-income single mothers pursuing higher education and financial independence. The organization provides a range of assistance, including scholarships, car repairs, emergency funds, technical assistance, healthcare services, budget management and mentoring. They also provide professional guidance and legal advice to help single mothers overcome their problems. You can find different ways to support by visiting helpdehandenvoorsinglemoms.org.

Every mother counts

Every mother counts strives to guarantee this all that mothers receive high-quality, respectful and fair maternity care. The organization achieves this through grants and partnerships to raise awareness and mobilize communities. They use storytelling, filmmaking and research to shed light on global maternal health challenges and provide accessible content and resources to inspire action and change. Every Mother Counts also invests in community-based programs to increase access to quality maternity care, especially for underserved and marginalized women. Keep paying it forward and join the Every Mother Counts movement by visiting everymothercounts.org.

Postpartum support internationally

Postpartum Support International works to raise awareness and provide treatment for mental health issues related to childbearing worldwide. They strive to ensure that every woman and every family has access to the necessary information, social support and professional care. Their site offers several ways you can help moms and the organization today; go to www.postpartum.net/join-us for more information.

New mothers

New Moms supports young mothers in achieving stability and well-being, and provides a thriving future for every young family. Their programs focus on reducing stress, building connections, and setting personal goals. Bright Endeavors, their social enterprise, is an integral part of their vocational training program, providing young mothers with skills and career opportunities. That’s possible make an impact on the life of a young mother today by going there newmoms.org.

There are many ways to give back to mothers worldwide and in your community today. If you can and feel called, keep the trend going and keep paying it forward today and beyond. And to every mother out there: YOU deserve the bag.

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