By Daniella Gray
Two parents from Florida were unprepared for their toddler’s reaction after they kissed in front of her.Erica Goldstein (@ericagbabyxo) posted a clip on TikTok showing her 1-year-old daughter sitting on her father’s lap. The parents shared a kiss and were not expecting what happened next. Watching them in delight, Goldstein’s toddler smiles as her mom touches her cheek.”It was the sweetest thing,” Goldstein told Newsweek. “She paused, looked at us, and gave this little smile like she was taking it all in, almost like she understood something special was happening, even if she couldn’t say it. She didn’t look confused or bothered鈥攋ust curious and content.”The mom and content creator wrote on the text overlay: “My heart wasn’t ready.””I realized in that second how important it is for kids to see healthy love鈥攏ot just through words, but in action,” Goldstein said. “I want her to grow up understanding what respect, connection and affection look like in a relationship.”At the time of writing, the clip has been viewed more than 1.8 million times and it received over 26,000 likes on the platform. Viewers were obsessed with the toddler’s reaction.”I cannot stop watching, she is the sweetest soul ever,” one user wrote.”She was so happy about it,” another posted.Parenting expert and toddler mom Blanka Molnar told Newsweek that the first five years of a child’s life are the most-formative years, during which their brain develops at the fastest rate.”These early years shape their understanding of the world around them, including relationships,” Molnar said. “When they see their parents kissing or gently touching each other, they learn how to treat one another with love and care.”They also pick up a reassuring signal that, ‘if mommy and daddy are OK, I am safe too.’ This helps to regulate their sensitive nervous system, keeping them calm and more grounded.”Goldstein said that the moment caught her off guard: “There’s something about watching your baby witness love that softens you.”It hit me that she’s watching and learning every second, and I wasn’t ready for how powerful that moment would feel鈥攈ow full-circle it is to see the love you give reflected right back through your child’s eyes.”The reaction online has been overwhelming for Goldstein, but in the best way. “So many people have shared how meaningful it was to see that; how they wish they had that growing up, or how they want to model the same for their kids.”Of course, there are always a few negative comments, but the love and support have far outweighed anything else,” Goldstein said.