Her son had a melt down at 'Sam’s Club' and she felt everyone staring. Then a stranger stepped in using his ‘dad voice’
Tantrums don’t wait for the privacy of home. They erupt in grocery aisles, parking lots, food courts, those public spaces where you’re usually on your own and aware of the eyes around you. But a TikTok video, which has garnered more than 8.3 million views, reminded people that sometimes help comes in unexpected ways. A mom, Sarah Elizabeth Moreno (@sarahelizabethmoreno), shared a short clip filmed at a Sam’s Club food court. In it, her partner sits across the table, casually eating yet fully tuned in to a mom a few tables away who was clearly having a tough time getting her kids to listen to her. Without intruding, he offered to help her in the most dad way possible.
From where he sat, he gave the child a look every kid instinctively notices and understands, “Sit down now. I’m not playing with you, sit your a** down. What’d your mama say? Sit down.” He didn’t approach or lecture them; he just repeated the mother’s instructions, lending her some invisible reinforcement from across the room. According to the caption, he said, “It takes a village,” a phrase that is so true when it comes to dealing with kids in public.
The video struck a chord with people, and the comments section quickly turned into a discussion room. @reillynicole_11 joked about using the moment as future leverage to deal with kids, “And then tomorrow I'm going to say, ‘You better listen, or that man from Costco is gonna come.’” @kristinnleaaa applauded the way the man didn’t overshadow the mother, writing, “It does take a village. Not overstepping her, reiterating what mom said. This is what the world needs.” And @bb09101991 summed up a wish many were too shy to admit: “I want to normalize borrowing the dad voice in public when my kids act out.” The discussion by parents makes sense because tantrums and meltdowns are very exhausting for adults and kids alike.
Research published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing notes that screaming or shouting and crying were the most frequent tantrum behaviours, and the most common reason for tantrums is the child wanting attention. According to UNICEF, if these episodes become frequent enough to disrupt a child’s daily life or put them at risk, seeking professional assistance is important.
Understanding the stages of a tantrum can also change how adults deal with their children. The study also highlights that these outbursts typically move through three stages: first, the surge- yelling, screaming, or whining; next, the physical spillover, falling to the floor, stamping, or rolling; and finally, the comedown, residual frustration, or continuation. For the first stage, parents are suggested to take the child to a different place and try to engage them in a new activity. For the second stage, parents are advised to let the child have a meltdown and clear the child's immediate surroundings so they don't hurt themselves. For the third stage, parents can try to physically soothe the child. This understanding helps caregivers stay grounded while waiting for the storm to pass.
In a world where parents often feel judged rather than supported, the TikTok resonated simply because it captured something gentle: a stranger offering a little backup when a mom needed it most.
You can follow Sarah Elizabeth Moreno (@sarahelizabethmoreno) on TikTok for more parenting content.
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