By Daniella Gray

Copyright newsweek

Two best friends from Nashville, Tennessee, have left internet users in tears after sharing how they’re “second moms” to each other’s children.Alexa Anglin, 36, and a mom of three boys, posted a reel on Instagram where Natalie Kennedy, 34, who has two daughters, is seen playing with Anglin’s sons.The text overlay reads: “When are you trying for a boy? I don’t need to. I already have them.”The reel then cuts to Anglin braiding Kennedy’s daughter’s hair, paired with a mirrored exchange: “When are you trying for a girl? I don’t need to. I already have them.”Anglin told Newsweek that acting as a second mom to Kennedy’s children isn’t about stepping in as a replacement.”Whether it’s cheering from the sidelines at a soccer game or just being someone they can talk to, it’s about showing up with love and consistency,” she said. “I’m… like a built-in auntie who loves them fiercely. It’s a mutual trust between Natalie and me, and a shared village mentality that says, ‘Your kids are my kids, too.'”That level of trust, Anglin said, has deepened their friendship beyond what she ever imagined.”It’s one thing to be best friends, but it’s another to fully trust someone with your children—to know that they love them, protect them and see them just like you do,” she said. “We’ve cried together over parenting challenges, celebrated milestones like proud aunties, and leaned on each other when motherhood feels overwhelming. It’s made our friendship more like family.”The reaction to Anglin’s clip has been moving for the moms. On Instagram, the reel went viral, clocking up over 8 million views.Many users felt emotional after watching the bond between the two families.”I’m crying, this is so sweet,” one user wrote.”I grew up with something similar and it’s seriously some of the best memories from my childhood,” another added.”It felt like we unintentionally tapped into something really universal—this quiet, powerful role so many women play in each other’s families,” Anglin added.The two friends hope that their children, who are growing up knowing that family can be chosen, nurtured through trust and loyalty.”I also hope they feel a deep sense of security, knowing they are surrounded by adults who love them unconditionally—not just their parents, but this whole circle that holds them up,” Anglin said. “Ultimately, I want them to grow up knowing that love multiplies. The more we give, the more we all have.”