While the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes after realizing his love for Christmas, your children’s fear of him will also grow if you take the same approach one TikTok dad did this holiday season.
It’s no secret that parents love pulling pranks on their children. Take Jimmy Kimmel’s odd requests for example. Many parents tell their children they ate all of their Halloween candy, record their reaction, and then explain it was a joke.
Rather than console his children to help them get over their fear of the frightful character, he decided to dress up as the Grinch himself and confront his children.
Users were quick to label the parents as "cruel" in the comment section stating, "She was screaming for her life," and "It's the childhood trauma for me."
After the viral video, the dad seemed to make up for his scare session by taking his children to meet Santa at a local mall while dressed as the Grinch. While there were no blood-curdling screams, it doesn't justify his actions.
In the video that has around 80 million views, the two children are obviously traumatized. Because of their reaction, one could assume they are not going to be over their fear of the Grinch anytime soon.
Children at all ages develop irrational fears, whether it be monsters under the bed or monsters associated with their favorite holiday. However, it’s important to help them overcome said fears in a way that will leave them less worried than they were before.
Soothing strategies and thinking of creative ways to combat fears are better ways of tackling the situation.
Bottom line: The holidays are not a time to capitalize on your children's irrational fears for a viral video or photo opportunity.
