Recently, a mom based in London went viral for her blunt message to women about having kids in their 40s. And 49-year-old Sheena Amin didn’t mince words with her bold PSA.
“I’m gonna say it again: Don’t have kids after 40,” Amin declared in a TikTok video posted on July 4, 2025.
She then used her experience on WhatsApp as the perfect example.
“Let’s say you are 40, you have a kid. Your kid goes to school. At 45, you’re added to the group WhatsApp chat,” she continued. “Timmy’s mom says, ‘Timmy’s not feeling well today, so he won’t be going to school.’ Then 25 other mothers will say, ‘Get well soon Timmy!'”
In the video, the older mom pointed out, “Some of us have jobs and when we come out, we have the 79 messages we think, ‘Oh my God, there’s been an emergency.’ No, just every Tom, Dick, and Harry is wishing Timmy to feel better. Timmy has a cold, he’ll be fine tomorrow!”
Instead, Amin advised that parents might consider sending Timmy’s parent a direct message if they “really want to wish him well.”
The mom’s sentiment seemingly struck a chord with fellow parents. As of writing, the clip had been viewed more than 326,000 times and liked by nearly 10,000 people.
@sheena_tiktok76 The school whatapp chat will send you over the edge of you are over40 or in perimenopause! #parentingover40 #whatsappchat #over40 #over50 #nopatience #parenting ♬ original sound – sheena_tiktok76
In the comments, TikTok users weighed in on how annoying WhatsApp can be.
One user shared, “I’m 46, my girl is 8, I just mute all of my WhatsAppp group chats…”
Another wrote: “Worse is ‘Has anyone seen Grace’s cardigan?’ and 27 messages saying ‘Not here, hun xx” 🥴 Folks! You only need to reply if you DO have it FFS.”
Someone else echoed: “This is how the parents WhatsApp group went for me. ‘Stewart’s been added to the group “parents.”‘ 2 minutes later ‘Stewart has left the group.’ Easy.”
Meanwhile, others agreed with the part about having kids over 40.
One shared: “Second this. And the energy levels you have at 45 … it’ll never be the same as 25. Have the kids, then go to uni, have a career, be wealthy and free at 45.”
A different TikTok user commented: “My friend had 2 kids after 40. She is a daily reminder to me to not do it!”
However, one older mom shared: “Oops I did at 46. Best thing evvvvvveeeerrr!”
During a chat with Newsweek, Amin elaborated on the reality of having kids later in life.
“Hitting perimenopause and having zero interest in fake niceness is a huge one,” she explained. “In your 40s, you have established who you are, and you stand on business.”
This includes “less tolerance” for getting bombarded with inconsequential WhatsApp updates.
Although, as one TikTok user pointed out, “Isn’t this annoying at any age?” (Amen!)
