They say it takes a village to raise a baby, but a husband-and-wife duo have captured the true meaning of family teamwork online.
Connecticut mom Nicole DeCirce, who works as a nurse, shared the challenges and rewards of balancing a demanding career with motherhood in a TikTok video.
"I love my job; being a nurse means a lot to me... because I worked so hard to become one. I have found my place in the nursing world, and I am proud to go to work every day," the 29-year-old told Newsweek.
In the clip, which has been viewed over 1 million times, DeCirce is FaceTiming her daughter while wearing scrubs—and the toddler greets her with a delighted smile and wave.
DeCirce's work schedule is demanding, with shifts starting at 6:45 a.m., which means leaving home before the hour while her toddler is still asleep.
"I'm fortunate that my job allows me the time that it does with my daughter as I am home by 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. on the days that I do work," she said.
"I work two 8-hour shifts and two 10-hour shifts, so that means I get a few hours with her at night, or I get home just in time for her bedtime routine; reading a book to her or end-of-the-day cuddles before she goes to sleep," the mom explained.
The downside of DeCirce (@nicoledecirce on TikTok) catching some moments with her daughter at night is missing out on the mornings, but that's where her husband steps in.
"My husband gets up with her, makes and feeds her breakfast, gets her dressed and out the door for day care," DeCirce told Newsweek.
She added that being on call also means that her schedule is out of her control because it's always changing.
Her daughter's morning routine, facilitated by her husband, is something DeCirce credits him for: "I could not live this dream without my husband. He works full-time from home, but his schedule is a bit more flexible, so he is what makes this possible."
He also goes the extra mile to make sure she's as involved as possible. "I am beyond grateful that he includes me as much as he can by sending me pictures and videos all morning, along with updates as to where they are at in the morning routine," she said.
"If I have a moment, he'll FaceTime me right before they walk out the door for a quick little wave to say, 'I love you', which has become a special part of my TikTok page now," DeCirce added.
Hundreds of comments were left on DeCirce's video praising her for pursuing a career while balancing family life.
Clothing retailer TJ Maxx called DeCirce a "supermom," while others commented on the importance of partnership in parenting.
One TikTok user wrote: "What a supportive partner and child who is loving you even while you are away and working."
DeCirce told Newsweek: "My husband supports me, and he is my biggest cheerleader in being a working mom and I'm just very lucky for all that he does to make this easier."
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