Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

A New Parenting Hack For Getting Toddlers To Stop Their Tantrums Has People In Disbelief That It Actually Kinda Works

Screenshots from @missyhalleonig's TikTok video
@missyhalleonig/TikTok

Parents are sharing videos of themselves calling out "Jessica" to confuse their toddlers into stopping their tantrums in a viral new hack.

Parents might not want to admit it, but when their toddlers are tantruming, there's nothing quite like finding a way to hilariously redirect or confuse them to help stop the tears.

In a hilarious parenting hack that's taking over TikTok, videos are appearing that all mysteriously star a woman named "Jessica," though no one can seem to find her.


This is actually the whole point. A great way of correcting a child's behavior, especially when they are being negative and potentially having a tantrum, is to redirect them with something that is positive, fun, or just incredibly confusing, forcing them to focus on solving the mystery instead of whatever it was that upset them in the first place.

In the new trend, parents start recording when their toddlers are already mid-tantrum, and to distract their toddlers, the parent simply screams, "Jessica!"

Some take it a step further and yell, "Jessica! Jessica, where are you? Come out, Jessica!"

Here's the video that started it all:

@missyhalleonig

I did NOT think this was going to work so well! Try this at your house! Jessica is doing the Lord’s work 😂 #toddlermom #toddlertantrums #tantrums #funnytoddler #relatablemom

In every incident, as soon as the kids hear the unknown name "Jessica," they stop crying and start looking around.

More than likely, this is out of curiosity, wondering who Jessica is, where she is, and what she's doing in their house.

There are likely some situations, hilariously enough, where the kids probably think that Jessica is another authority figure, coming to address their tantrum, like when parents convince their kids that they will call the police on them, or they'll tell Santa Claus not to bring them presents.

Here's a compilation of fun examples:

@ngo.quang.thao

Who exactly is Jessica?😂#fyp #kids #parents #jessica #trending

Fellow TikTokers were tickled over how well this hack seems to work.

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

@ngo.quang.thao/TikTok

Despite how well this hack seems to be working across TIkTok, however, there always has to be an exception.

Mom and TikToker Taylor of "Taylor and Sophia" wanted to point out that while this was a funny hack, and it definitely worked to redirect kids from experiencing a tantrum, there was also a distinct possibility that the child would also pull an UNO-Reverse and make the word "Jessica" their new favorite word and hunting for Jessica their new favorite activity.

Catch the cautionary tale here:

@taylorrandsoph

This is the best thing ever💀

So while you might opt to try this new hack at home on your emotional toddlers, just be warned that you may inadvertently open up Pandora's Box.

Or, should we say, Jessica's Box...

More from Trending

Shannon Elizabeth
Christopher Polk/Variety/Getty Images

'American Pie' Star Shannon Elizabeth Reveals Staggering Amount She's Made In Her First Week Since Joining OnlyFans

Rumors have been circulating that American Pie and Scary Movie star Shannon Elizabeth started an OnlyFans account and that she's been making bank while doing it.

Early reports claimed that Elizabeth started the account on April 16, 2026, and that she brought in "more than seven figures" in the first week on the platform alone.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jamie Ding
Sony Pictures Television

'Jeopardy!' Champ Speaks Out To Rip ICE After His Impressive 31-Game Winning Streak Comes To An End

Jeopardy! champ Jamie Ding has had quite an impressive winning streak on the show, but it's his statements about current events that may have the greatest impact.

Ding had an extraordinary 31-day winning streak, the fifth-longest in the show's history.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mike Johnson
Newsmax

Mike Johnson Just Gave A Mind-Numbing Reason Why Voters Should Keep Republicans 'In Charge'—And The Delusion Is Real

During a Monday appearance on Newsmax, GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana told host Greta Van Susteren why voters need to keep Republicans in power, but the self-proclaimed Christian nationalist's reasoning went over like a lead balloon.

The discussion on Newsmax's The Record with Greta Van Susteren turned to the continuing partial government shutdown that began February 14, 2026—now the longest in history, surpassing 68 days.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Serena Williams
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images; Elsa/Getty Images

MAGA Accounts Rush To Praise Video Of Trump Playing Tennis With Serena Williams—But There's One Glaring Issue

President Donald Trump shared a video of himself playing tennis with tennis icon Serena Williams to the thrill of his MAGA supporters—but the truth is that the video is more than a decade old.

As concerns swirl about Trump's physical and mental health, he courted significant attention after he fell and had to be helped up by Secret Service agents after a gunman—who was later apprehended—crashed the White House Correspondents Association dinner over the weekend.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sam Neill
Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Sam Neill Shares Hopeful Update After Five-Year Battle With Blood Cancer—And Fans Are Thrilled

It's time to rejoice: everyone's favorite on-screen paleontologist and velociraptor expert, Sam Neill, is officially cancer-free.

The Jurassic Park actor was diagnosed with blood cancer five years ago, and he admitted to believing that he was "on his way out" when his immune system stopped responding to chemotherapy.

Keep ReadingShow less