When your toddler is in the middle of a meltdown, there’s nothing funny about it. It’s frustrating trying to regulate both your emotions and theirs at the same time. And if you’re in public, the added stress of knowing you’re being watched and judged can be completely overwhelming.
But after the dust has settled, you just may find you’re able to laugh about the whole thing and maybe even give other's a chance to chuckle at your child’s ridiculous behavior. One mom did just that and shared it all on TikTok for the world to see.
Kayla Sullivan dusted off her news anchor hat to tell a story about her son's meltdown.
The mom created a faux news report detailing her toddler's meltdown that has now been viewed over 37 million times. At the time she made the video, Sullivan was working in PR, but before that she had been a reporter for FOX59 and CBS4Indy, Newsweek reported.
Those skills never went anywhere after she left those jobs, but she dusted them off to provide the breaking news update about her child’s behavior during a trip to an Olive Garden restaurant.
The suspect was detained until nap time was over.
“Reporting live from outside my son’s bedroom where he’s currently being detained until nap time is over,” Sullivan begins her report. Because the subject is a minor she can’t release specifics, but she did confirm that her son “is a 2-year-old terrorist who held [her] hostage” at the popular restaurant chain.
“It’s important to note that the friends I met there do not have children and likely never will after witnessing the situation firsthand,” she says.
A good Samaritan caught a ketchup-y fork to the outfit when Kayla's son threw it at her.
In the video, Sullivan shares that despite being armed with her son’s favorite snacks and risking judgment from other moms by carrying an iPad, not even Cocomelon could have prevented this meltdown.
"After several cries demanding quote, 'chet-chup,' a good Samaritan waitress miraculously understood it as the English word, ketchup, and brought him a bottle. Unfortunately, her good deed was later punished after he threw a ketchup-covered fork at her. Not all heroes wear capes, but this one should have worn an apron,” Sullivan says.
Kayla's video was so popular she was offered a real TV job.
Kayla continued saying that toddler outbursts are on the rise as parents continue trying to implement gentle parenting tactics but “completely suck it at.” She concludes the report, throwing it back to the fake anchor in the studio.
Sullivan’s video blew up. Even TV personality Steve Harvey shared it. Others assured her that if she ever wanted another job in television, it was hers.
They were right. As a result of her videos, Sullivan was given a job at WISH TV in Indianapolis, where she now shares additional realistic parenting reports.
Her son answered for his crimes in a sit-down interview with her later.
As for Kayla’s son, when she sat down with him to conduct an exclusive interview about his alleged behavior, she asked what he had to say for himself.
He leaned into the “mic” and shouted “Chet-chup!” No surprise there.
But when she pressed him further, asking if he was remorseful, He also yelled, "Sorry." Yup, still laughing.
