The Next Time Somebody Asks You Why You're So Tired...

This mom's nights look way too familiar.

As working moms, it's obvious to us why we sometimes come to work exhausted—yet the rest of the world still seems mystified at just how tiring this whole parenting gig can be. Thankfully, one creative mom inadvertently came up with the perfect way to explain exactly why you're so tired and why a good night’s sleep is often impossible. Melanie Darnell, a fitness blogger and mother of three from Los Angeles, posted a time-lapse video to her Instagram that shows how a typical night can go for a mom of little kids. “Parenting doesn’t end when the sun goes down,” she explained in the post. “I want to parent at night the same way I parent during the day.” The video begins at 10 p.m. with Melanie sleeping alone in her bed and (hopefully) enjoying a short period of peace and quiet. However, it isn’t long before she responds to the cries of one of her kids. At 11:20 p.m., she brings her baby to the bed to “sleep” alongside her, but the video mostly shows the baby crawling around, with little sleep being had by anybody.

Looks a little uncomfortable. Photo: Melanie Darnell Then at 1 a.m., we see her toddler stroll up to the bed and invite herself in. The trio again stayed up before Melanie eventually brought the toddler back to her own room. Melanie wrote that she deals with these nights by thinking about all of the other parents who are sacrificing their shut-eye for their kids. “During these moments let’s think of all of the other parents who are up with their babies at the very same middle-of-the night moment and take comfort in the thought of each of us cradling our babies in the dark of our homes, together in shared experience,” she wrote.

Now we know why they say "three's a crowd." Photo: Melanie Darnell She slept on and off with her baby for a few more hours before having to wake up for good at 6:20 a.m. in the morning.

Rise and shine. Photo: Melanie Darnell Since she posted it last week, the video has been seen over one million times on Instagram. Melanie ended the video with inspiration for tired moms: “So, to all of the tired mothers out there, breathe in and breathe out,” she wrote. “These days are intense but short lived. Both you and baby will be sleeping more soundly before long. For now, cuddle your babies, nurse them and love them no matter what time the clock says.” Written by Nicole Sheinzok for Working Mother and legally licensed through the Matcha publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@getmatcha.com.