Millions Of Parents On TikTok Are "Pre-Folding" Their Babies Before Car Rides, And It's The Most Hilarious Thing You'll See All Month
If you're a parent — or have ever had the misfortune of having to wrestle a kicking child into a car seat — then this video will really resonate with you. It shows a mom named Lauren STRUGGLING to get her 17-month-old son, Emmett, into his car seat:
And the video — which has over 32 million views — is too funny with the song she chose to play over Emmett's cries...
The song — "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins — talks about a kid who can't wait to turn 18 and a parent reflecting with the lyrics, "You're gonna miss this / You're gonna want this back / You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast / These are some good times / So take a good look around / You may not know it now / But you're gonna miss this."
Will you really miss the sad face of defeat when Mom wins?
And will that sigh of victory while you're simultaneously trying to calm your kid down be something you'll want to relive?
Doubtful, BUT a light has been brought forth at the end of the tunnel to help parents with stiff toddlers who hate car seats!
It is a method TikTokers are dubbing the "pre-fold."
And it is, in fact, a thing.
The "hack" has been backed by many parents who have tried it!
The best part is, it is super easy. You simply fold the baby in half (with a snack when possible).
Once they are folded in two like a hot dog bun, you swiftly slide them into the seat...
...attempting not to bump their head.
(But sometimes, unfortunately, it accidentally happens to the best of us. So just be gentle with the process.)
And ta-da! A bifold success!
BuzzFeed spoke to Lauren, who said it can be difficult to get Emmett into the car seat, but since he's her third kid, she's figured out tricks along the way, including using the "pre-fold" method while not knowing it was a thing.
However, Lauren did admit that she typically has to mix the "pre-fold" with one or two other distractions — like giving her son a snack and/or a toy.
Another method, according to Happiest Baby, is to put the car seat in your home and have your child sit in it with a snack or book so they can become accustomed to it before they start going on car rides. The site also has some other tips that you can read here. (But if all else fails, just let them drive 😉.) Happy parenting — and let us know in the comments if you've tried the "pre-fold" method!