Sherlock Mom: The Case of the Missing Everything

Ladies, let’s get real: why is “Mom, I can’t find it!” the anthem of every household? Somehow, we’ve become the all-seeing oracle of missing hoodies, lost earbuds and mysteriously vanishing homework assignments. We didn’t apply for this job, but here we are—the Sherlock Holmes of scrunchies—strutting around with a sixth sense for tracking down teenage paraphernalia. Spoiler alert: We do.

Every mom knows when their teenager “can’t find” their favorite hoodie, you know it’s right in their closet, where it’s always been. But apparently, they’ve “looked everywhere.” And “everywhere” apparently doesn’t include the first three feet around them.

And can we talk about the missing dishes and Tupperware I find on these searches? I’m off looking for earbuds, and suddenly, I’m uncovering the entire colony of plates, cutlery, and lids that “no one knew anything about” last week when I had a mom meltdown. I swear it’s like they have their own secret society meeting, plotting my next breakdown, one missing fork at a time.

Spouses are just as guilty! My partner is highly organized… until he steps into the kitchen. I love him dearly, but watching him search for something in the pantry is like watching someone try to find a needle in a haystack while blindfolded. When he finally calls for backup, I’m the one pulling the peanut butter from right in front of his face. Sherlock who?

See, moms have this magical ability—a “find-it” filter that activates the moment we bring a kid into the world. It’s been fine-tuned over years of avoiding Legos in the dark, honing these superhero Spidey senses. We’re basically the ninjas of “found it.”

So, to every mom who can locate a misplaced phone charger with her eyes closed, the favorite shirt that’s MIA, or the jar of pickles hiding in plain sight, sit back and enjoy the show. Imagine it’s a blind scavenger hunt; grab some popcorn and tell them they’re getting warmer… warmer. We may not wear capes (mostly because they’re hidden somewhere we’d have to find), but we are the unsung heroes of the lost and found.

 

Janet Smith is a proud mom of one daughter and a marketing professional who is grateful for her rural roots in the London area. Follow Janet’s funny and honest journey at IG & TT | @re.marketable.janet or FB | @janetsiddallsmith