If TikTok makes you feel incredibly old, you're not alone. The newest social media platform sure has taken the world by storm this year, and we elders (aka the 30 and older crowd) seem to be just catching up. But some moms who are jumping on the bandwagon are getting some mixed feedback after taking part in a new TikTok challenge that involves pouring water on babies.
The challenge is pretty simple but kind of weird (as most TikTok trends are).
Moms either hold or stand close to their babies with a cup of water in one hand as they bop along to the song, "What You Doing With That." Then, they pretend to get startled and "accidentally" spill the water onto their babies. Sometimes that water lands on or around their baby, and (if they play it right) the water lands on their baby's head.
At first blush, that sounds kinda cruel, right? Almost like that lemon-eating challenge that swept YouTube about 10 years ago? And yet, it seems to be taking off.
In some cases, the babies are so startled by it, they cry.
Such was the case for TikTok user Mikayla Matthews, who gave the challenge a try last week.
"I'm never doing a Tik Tok trend again," she wrote, with a string of cry-laugh emojis. "I felt so bad."
Other babies just look confused and/or annoyed.
When Morgan Johnson tried the challenge with her baby, the tot looked anything but amused.
"Awww bubba was not impressed," wrote one user in the comments.
"Poor little girl got really scared!" added another.
Morgan tried to calm the critics, though, by writing in the caption, "No babies were harmed in the making of this video," and noting that her daughter laughed afterward.
Some probably wish they could talk already so they could tell their mamas to CHILL with the whole water thing.
(As you can tell by the look on his face, this guy felt it was pretty uncalled for.)
"I feel bad for thinking this trend is funny," wrote Vi Chan in her TikTok video.
In it, her son throws up his arms in shock as she repeatedly drops water on him.
"Omg! He's like, 'What the heck, Mommy!'" wrote one user.
"Awww he started crying," added another.
Again, Chan jumped into the comments and assured people that her kiddo was totally fine — and started laughing right after the clip ended.
Not all babies have been opposed to the challenge, though.
In fact, a lot of 'em kinda love getting doused with water, and in many cases it's led to adorable fits of giggles. (Like this little lady!)
Those happier reactions might be why the trend is catching on.
"She loves water so she was fine," wrote Jamie Jones in the caption of her recent TikTok.
At the end of the clip, the mom can hardly contain her own laughter and surprise over her daughter's reaction.
Even some slightly older kids are wanting to get in on the action!
At least, that was the case for this kid, who turned the tables on his mom for a video of his own.
It's fair to say that this whacky TikTok challenge is a little left of center — but honestly, aren't all TikTok challenges? Despite some of the pushback these mamas might be getting, it seems like a harmless enough prank that at least most of the babies wind up enjoying.