Alabama mom’s hilarious back-to-school photo goes viral

Are you ready for school to start?

When the kids are away, mommy will play! After a summer spent shuttling the kids to and from day camp, coming up with fun activities to fill their downtime and making sure they actually do their summer reading, a lot of parents eagerly await their children’s first day back to school.

Finally, mom and dad can relax! And that’s exactly what Jena Willingham, a mom from Buelah, Alabama, did. In a Facebook post that has since gone viral, Willingham shared a photo of herself happily enjoying a mimosa in the pool while her three children look on dejectedly. “Happy First Day of School everyone!” she captioned the photo.

Willingham’s children attend Beulah Elementary school where Wrangler is in the sixth grade, Emmy in the second and Sykes attends pre-K.

“This is the first time in 11 years that I have not had a kid at home and that’s one of the reasons I did it,” Willingham told the Ledger-Enquirer.

The photo was actually staged on a Sunday afternoon, before the kids’ first day back to school on Monday.

As for her real first day of freedom? “I haven’t even been in the pool,” Willingham said. “I have been babysitting for my niece.”

People on Facebook got a kick out of Willingham’s cheeky photo.

“I had to show this to a few teachers I work with! Best back to school pic ever!!!” read one comment.

“I love this. You are hilarious!” another commenter wrote.

Willingham isn’t the only mom to celebrate back-to-school season. Last year, Keshia Gardner, a mom of five also from Alabama, shared a photo of her gleefully jumping for joy with her children looking glum in the background.

“Happy 1st day of school kids. I’m gonna miss y’all 😂 Please help me share this with other parents that need a good laugh!” she captioned the photos.