Mom's epic quest to rescue her son's pet frog has become a viral sensation
“This. This is motherhood."
Not on my watch!
How’s this for the world’s greatest understatement? Moms do a lot for their kids.
Seriously, beyond the obvious sacrifices of, you know, bringing a child into this world through their own body, moms go to almost cartoonish lengths to keep their little ones happy and safe—quite literally wrangling wild animals if they have to.
Or, in this case, luring them out with crickets.
A mom named Shelby Rideout is going viral on TikTok for hilariously documenting her determination, torment—and ultimately, utter exhaustion—while trying to rescue her son’s pet frog who went rogue by hopping into a nearby hole in the bathroom.
Bizarre? Yes. But still relatable? Absolutely.
The whole fiasco started, apparently, when her son wanted to take the frog (aptly named Kermit) out of his habitat to play in the bathroom. You can see how this would be a recipe for disaster.
“The frog jumps around. Literally three seconds. It jumps to the vanity. There’s a freaking construction hole under the vanity. This big frog jumps and is lost in the wall,” Rideout says in the clip.
With her son in “hysterics” over the M.I.A. amphibian, Rideout became hellbent on saving the day, which is why we find her in the video hunkered down in the bathroom closet, trying to wait Kermit out.
“My son’s asleep in hysterics, thinking he’s going to have a dead frog in the wall — not on my watch,” she declares.
@brightsignslearning I am over 1 hour into a legit stand off. #frog #momlife #longnight #momsoftiktok #fyp #standoff ♬ original sound - brightsignslearning
You’d think a trap with a delicious cricket waiting inside and a bowl of water would do the trick. But sadly, no luck. Rideout even “prayed to Saint Anthony.” Still nadda.
“I wish I could tell you I was joking. I’ve been in the closet for an hour,” she says. But since the frog began popping its head out, there’s no way she can give up.
“This. This is motherhood,” one person commented.
Another hour goes by, and Rideout posts a follow-up video. At this point, her original video has been viewed 8.9 million times.
Voice gravelly, eyes bloodshot, Rideout has tried using various other strategies—more crickets, a plastic fish tank tube, fake sounds to make him think he’s being chased—all to no avail.
Luckily, someone suggests that Rideout turn off the lights to make Kermit more comfortable. Sure enough, that works.
@brightsignslearning UPDATE- Frog in the wall! #momlife #frog #standoff #rescue #momsoftiktok #fyp ♬ original sound - brightsignslearning
“I got him! Got him! I got him! I got him! I got him!” Rideout cries right before admitting, “We had a fish die from mouth to mouth. I could not have two deaths on me this week.” That in itself is a whole other crazy story.
All in all, people were just as thrilled about Rideout’s victory as she was. And they couldn’t help but commend her dedication.
One person wrote, “And the award for the best mom ever goes out to…”
Another added, “Your son will never forget how much effort you put in for him.”
It might not always involve frog rescues, but so many moms out there would do equally crazy things for their kids. God bless their resolve.
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.