Caitlin often found herself informally supervising her neighbor Stacy’s young son, Nate, providing him some stability while his mom sought time for herself. However, when Nate decorated the hallway walls with doodles during Caitlin’s absence, she was unjustly slapped with a $500 fine. Determined to set things right, Caitlin devised a plan for retribution.
Stacy had become accustomed to letting her young son, Nate, roam the hallway as a play area.
“It’s safe, Caitlin,” she’d assure me. “Plus, it’s their version of outdoor play.”
She would then retreat behind her door, leaving Nate to his devices, often while she entertained guests.
“I just need some downtime,” she confessed to me once in the laundry room. “I’m a grown woman with needs, you know. Being a single mom, you must get it.”
I understood her need for personal space, but I could never imagine letting my own son, Jackson, wander the hallways alone. Despite our general familiarity with the neighbors, the corridors didn’t feel completely secure.
Jackson, slightly older than Nate, seemed concerned about the younger boy, who often loitered alone, clutching his tattered teddy bear.
“Mom,” Jackson would say during his playtime, “maybe we should invite him over.”
Grateful for my son’s compassion, I agreed. It was better to keep both children within sight, ensuring their safety.
Thus, we began having Nate over for snacks, toys, and movies—a simple arrangement that brought him noticeable joy.
“He mentioned he likes playing with others,” Jackson noted one day. “I don’t think his mom spends much time with him.”
And interestingly, Stacy hardly acknowledged this setup. Once she realized Nate was safe with us, she seemed to extend her leisure time even more.
Eventually, it became routine for Nate to knock on our door whenever his mother let him out.
“Hello,” he’d say, teddy in hand. “I’m here to play.”
However, one day, we were away at my parents’ house for my mom’s birthday.
“I hope Nate will be okay,” Jackson expressed concern as we drove.
“Oh, honey,” I responded. “His mom is there. She’s responsible for his safety too.”
Upon our return, we were greeted by hallway walls covered in childish drawings—a colorful chaos of stick figures and squiggles.
“Nate must have had fun,” I remarked, searching for my keys.
“Isn’t he going to be in trouble?” Jackson asked, eyeing the artwork
16 Celebs Who Don’t Care About “What People Say” When It Comes to Breastfeeding
Being a woman is no simple task. And if we talk about being a mother, the equation becomes twice as complicated. Among all the challenges that motherhood brings, supplying something as basic as food for the baby is at the top of the list. And to help people to not see it as something “out of place” or “wrong,” some celebrities do not hesitate to breastfeed their children in public, proudly and in full view of anyone who wants to see it.
At Bright Side, we salute celebrities who empower breastfeeding and the actions that come with it (like pumping). After all, what could be more natural and human?
1. Kourtney Kardashian
2. Amanda Seyfried
3. Gwen Stefani
4. Halsey
5. Kate Hudson
6. Pink
7. Paola Mayfield
8. Shay Mitchell
9. Alanis Morissette
10. Katherine Schwarzenegger
11. Chrissy Teigen
12. Amy Schumer
13. Hilary Duff
14. Lauren Hashian (and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson)
15. Heidi Montag
16. Troian Bellisario
What do you think about celebrities showing this side of motherhood? What has your experience been like feeding your baby?
Preview photo credit katehudson / Instagram, iamhalsey / Instagram
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