The “Where’s Jessica?” Parenting Trend: Is Your Toddler Gaslighting You?

If you’ve been scrolling through TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen the “Where’s Jessica?” trend. If you haven’t, count yourself lucky—or prepared to have your heart absolutely melted (and then immediately shattered) by a toddler.

As a parent who is very familiar with the chaotic nature of raising tiny humans, I had to dive into this one. Here’s the breakdown of the trend that has every parent on the internet asking, “Wait, is my kid actually listening?”

The Premise

The trend is simple but deceptively emotional. A parent hides—usually just behind a door, a blanket, or a kitchen island—and asks their child, “Where’s [Parent’s Name]?” while filming.

The goal? To capture the child’s genuine reaction when they realize you’re “missing.”

Why It’s Taking Over

Most of these videos go one of two ways:

1. The Panic: The toddler goes into full-blown detective mode, frantically searching the house with a look of pure distress that makes you want to jump out of your hiding spot and apologize profusely.
2. The “Wait, Who?” The toddler completely ignores the question, continues playing with a block, and doesn’t even look up. (Listen, I feel this one in my soul. Sometimes my kids don’t even look up when I call them for dinner.)

The “Sarcastic Parent” Take

Look, I love a good viral trend, but let’s be honest: are we really doing this to our kids? My kids can barely find their shoes when they are literally glued to their feet. If I hide, they will probably just go to eat all the snacks in the pantry while I’m stuck behind the curtains.

It’s a sweet reminder of how much our little ones do actually rely on us, even when they’re acting like tiny, irrational roommates who refuse to pay rent.

Should You Try It?

If you’re looking for a quick content clip, it’s harmless enough. But if your kid is the type who gets anxious when you step into the bathroom for thirty seconds of peace, maybe skip the hiding game. We all know that the “Where’s Mommy?” game usually ends with them finding you in the pantry anyway.

Pro-tip from the studio: If you record it, please tag me! I want to see if your kid actually cares that you’re gone, or if they’re just using your absence to turn the living room into a wrestling ring.

Stay sane out there, Denver. And if you find a parenting hack that actually stops the meltdowns, please, for the love of sweet baby Jesus, email me.