As Mother's Day approaches, people are buying gifts, cards, and flowers for the special women in their lives and thinking about how much they appreciate what mom does for them every day.
There's no arguing that moms are often stressed, tired, doing too much and there's research to back it up.
"The word 'Mommy', it can be the best word ever and sometimes it can be the most aggravating word you ever have heard," said Michele Hummel, the executive director of Downtown Knoxville.
In 1975, more than half of mothers stayed home with their kids, according to Pew Research Center.
Flash forward to today where both parents are working in most homes, but mothers are spending more time on childcare, even with dads doing more.
"He gets our children ready in the morning and gets them to school," said UT nurse Meg Ingram. "You know that that's the hardest part of the day."
A USA Today report claims American moms are seriously struggling and cites childcare costs as a big part of that. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, parents spend on average $12,350 to $13,900 a year. Remember, that's just the average.
Many could argue in some cities it's double that as costs of living fluctuate from place to place.
In 2016, Pew Research states moms spent 14 hours a week outside work on child care.
"When you're going home at night from your regular job it feels like, ok, now going to my second job, of either, you know, taxi-ing them to soccer," Hummel said.
Paid time off isn't available to everyone. While unpaid leave can be an option, many moms can't afford to take it.
The National Partnership for Women and Families found that nearly half of women in the U.S. take less than two months of maternity leave and nearly one in four say they return to work within two weeks of giving birth.
Plus research shows about 40 percent of moms are the family breadwinners, and many of them say they've been criticized for their parenting.
"It's hard to truly understand what it's like to juggle it," said UT Medical Dr. Amy Stevens. "I don't know if there's a right way to juggle it or do it without feeling guilty."
And in spite of it all, many of you say this:
"Parenting is the toughest job ever, but it to me is the best, most rewarding job and I would do it again, over and over again," Hummel said.