3-year-old wanted to give a 'cute' Valentine’s card to a boy in her class who was 'like a girl' — her take on gender roles left her mom stunned
Kids have a way of saying things so casually that you don’t even react at first. And then a second later, it hits you, and suddenly you’re not sure whether to laugh or think about it a little more. That’s exactly what happened to TikTok user Emily Haswell (@myemtv) while helping her daughter with Valentine’s cards. In a video uploaded on February 12, 2026, she explained how her daughter had a different opinion about one particular boy. She had the impression that the boy was "like a girl," and her reasoning left her in utter shock. The video has since gained 520K views and more than 136K likes.
@myemtv Shout out to the one boy who made the cut tho #mom #momtok #funny #foryoupage ♬ original sound - Emily Haswell
They were sitting together, packing Valentine’s cards for her class and going through each name one by one. For most of the boys, the 3-year-old kept picking the simpler ones without thinking much about it. Then they got to one boy, and she suddenly said they should "give him a cute one." Her mom was curious and asked why. She simply said, “He’s a boy, but he’s kind of like a girl." This added to her confusion. Haswell was desperate to know what that meant, and this was when the answer baffled her. Very innocently, the little girl said, "He's funny, and boys aren't really funny."
Sometimes kids form their own ideas about gender in ways that feel oddly specific and a little surprising, leaving you wondering how they even got there. She shared that as a stay-at-home mom, she sometimes worries about the kind of ideas her daughter might be picking up about gender roles, especially with her dad going out to work while she stays home. But her daughter’s reaction that day wasn’t what she expected at all. Instead of repeating something typical, she came up with her own strange and funny logic, turning what started as a genuine concern into a moment that was hard not to laugh at.
People in the comment section also joined in the humor. @rosaycao mentioned, "If you could let me know exactly how you instilled this extremely correct opinion in her, that would be so kind. I would like to take notes for my daughter, thank you!" Meanwhile, @lizsnewbeginning remarked, "Don’t forget to tell her how strong her intuition is!" A few other mothers also shared their anecdotes regarding matters of teaching gender roles. For example, @tiffanycurlycue expressed, "I stay home too. Sometimes I randomly ask my two sons 'Who is in charge here?' Or 'Who is the smartest?' and they don't even hesitate to say 'mommy.'"
@leanngfreeman penned, "I stayed home, and I truly believe my kids thought my husband was my employee who I sent out to bring home money." It’s a reminder that kids don’t always see the world the way adults expect them to. In fact, their understanding is shaped by small observations that turn into ideas of their own. And while those ideas might seem unusual or even surprising, they often reflect a kind of honesty that adults tend to overthink or forget.
For more such videos, you can follow @myemtv on TikTok.
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