Toddler Told To Tidy Her Room, Mom Can't Cope With What Happens Next

There's no denying that toddlers are messy; after all, they love to explore new things and look with their hands rather than their eyes. But one 3-year-old has seemingly mastered the art of tidying up, which has reduced the internet to tears.

Amber Henry, 29, has shared photos that showcase her daughter Ivy's organization skills on TikTok, gathering 1.6 million views since it was posted on November 10.

"I was shocked," the content creator told Newsweek. "The attention to detail was so impressive to me, and she was so thoughtful with how she cleaned everything up."

At the start of the video, Henry said, "I'm honestly really close to crying." Then she explained that she asked Ivy to clean up her play area, but she didn't expect her to do such a good job.

The images show both Ivy's and her mom's boots lined up next to each other, her bag hanging on a door handle, her aprons hung up, followed by an image of flower petals back in a vase with water.

"This last one crushed me," said Henry during the video. She then explains that the petals were on the credenza, but Ivy picked them up and put them back with the flower while cleaning up.

Henry concluded the clip by saying, "My heart is in so much pain because how did I create the sweetest child on the face of the planet," whilst holding her head in disbelief.

She told Newsweek that she introduced tidy-up time around six months ago.

"I haven't taught her with that level of detail," she said. "I think she has probably observed how I clean and followed suit.

"Since then, I've implemented an allowance system to give her more responsibilities like tidying her bed, her toys at night, and brushing her teeth. Kids are so capable!"

Should Kids Have Chores?

Newsweek discussed the video with Ana Aznar, founder of REC Parenting, an online platform supporting parents and caregivers.

She said: "Teaching children to do chores from a young age is definitely a good idea. There is some research showing that children who do chores tend to feel more competent and to help others more.

"With chores, children learn that they are part of a family and that we all need to do our bit for the family to function. Chores also teach children to function in the outside world, whether it is helping to do the dishes at a friend's house or learning to cook when they fly the nest.

"Whether to pay children to do chores is a hotly debated topic. I wouldn't pay children to do 'normal' chores because they must learn that chores are a family affair and that we must all chip in for the house to work. I would only pay them to do 'extra' chores like washing the car or babysitting a younger sibling."

TikTok Reacts

So far, the post has over 281,000 likes and more than 830 comments.

"Tomorrow, when she wakes up, you should show her these and tell her how proud you are of her. It'll stick with her, trust me," said one comment with over 25,000 likes.

"The shoes already had me sobbing," said another commenter, and a third said: "We often underestimate children."

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