Channing Tatum Gave Jenna Dewan A Mother's Day Shoutout That Caught Twitter's Attention

If you're still struggling with their breakup, you're not alone, but Channing Tatum's Mother's Day shoutout to Jenna Dewan is sure to lift your spirits. The couple may have split, but the Magic Mike actor's adorable message to his longtime partner shows that he isn't going to let any hard feelings get in the way of coparenting. Tatum posted a video to his Instagram Story on Sunday, May 13 that gave thanks to the most important women in his life — his own mother, and his soon-to-be-ex-wife.

"Happy Mother’s Day everybody," the 38-year-old said, smiling into the camera in an outdoor shot, which he spun around to give a full panorama of the sunset. He then added, "Jenna, Happy Mother’s Day, baby. Momma, Happy Mother’s Day, hope you’re enjoying this beautiful sunset. Love you guys." It's a simple, heartfelt message to two of the heavy-lifters in Tatum's life, but one word in particular stood out, raising the eyebrows of anyone hoping for a reconciliation between these two. No, not the part where he said "love you," although that's very sweet. But the actor called Dewan "baby" — did you catch that? (If not, feel free to watch the message a million more times before it disappears from Tatum's social media forever.)

With one casual (pet) name-drop, fans' hearts across the nation started to beat a little faster, wondering if there's still hope for these two.

While you can't really rule anything out, the only people who can truly speak to any future possibilities in their relationship are Dewan and Tatum. And so far, they've been pretty clear on the topic. In the joint statement the pair released announcing the end of their nearly nine-year marriage, they emphasized their ongoing love for each other, and the health and happiness of their 4-year-old daughter Everly. As the April 2 message stated, in part:

"We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple. We fell deeply in love so many years ago and have had a magical journey together. Absolutely nothing has changed about how much we love one another, but love is a beautiful adventure that is taking us on different paths for now. There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision — just two best-friends realizing it’s time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible. We are still a family and will always be loving dedicated parents to Everly. We won’t be commenting beyond this, and we thank you all in advance for respecting our family’s privacy. Sending lots of love to everyone, Chan&Jenna."

If something specific had gone wrong in the relationship, it might be a sign of rekindling to hear Tatum throw out a pet name now. But because the pair simply drifted apart, the actor's message to his former partner is all the more impressive. It's easy to wish a "Happy Mother's Day" to someone you're in a relationship with, or trying to get back into a relationship with. The harder, more mature thing to do is to continue flooding that person with positivity and respect even when your relationship is no longer romantic. So big ups to Tatum for making it work.

Thus far, it appears that the co-parents are doing exactly what they promised to do when they announced their breakup: remaining a family. And as much as fans would undoubtedly like to see them reunite and help the world believe in love again, there's a much greater lesson in the relationship the power couple is establishing now. Romantic relationships come and go, but parenthood — and partnership — lasts a lifetime.