Parenting
By Dr. Emma Collins
Updated: Dec. 26, 2016
Originally Published: Dec. 21, 2016
I thought my little one had taken a turn for the bizarre when we stumbled upon a YouTube video featuring an adult woman with perfectly manicured nails opening Easter eggs and discussing their contents. For 15 minutes. Repeatedly. We watched it, and I found the whole thing amusing at first.
Fast forward several months, and my amusement has turned into frustration. Just when I think we’ve exhausted all the options, a new video emerges with a fresh character or twist. Want to see someone “catch” eggs in a kiddie pool and reveal what’s inside? You got it! Or how about a collection of Easter eggs encased in Play-Doh, designed to resemble the various emotions from Inside Out? It’s all available! Almost every show, movie, or theme your child is interested in has its own surprise egg video. This means that as their interests shift, these insufferable eggs just keep popping up. Fantastic.
These videos are driving me up the wall! I can’t stand them or the adults making them. It truly exemplifies the saying: just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. What type of grown-up spends their time buying tiny toys, stuffing them into eggs, and then filming themselves acting surprised at the contents? Clearly, folks with far too much free time! If I had an hour to spare, I would certainly use it more wisely. Each to their own, sure, but this is simply unacceptable.
Adding insult to injury, YouTube now suggests an array of ridiculous content, like an adult playing “dentist” with Peppa Pig and extracting Shrek’s teeth, or staging “Peppa goes to the hospital” with action figures. Yes, these bizarre suggestions pop up if I don’t act quickly enough to exit after an egg video. I don’t need any more nonsense to watch, thanks, YouTube.
Now, we find ourselves watching surprise egg videos almost daily. They have become the go-to choice for screen time, and let’s be honest, they’re effective at stopping a terrible two’s tantrum. My daughter has specific requests: “I want to see Paw Patrol eggs” or “Can we watch Peppa Pig eggs?” I’m using these ridiculous videos to persuade my 2-year-old to leave the park or tidy up her toys. And I’m not alone — these videos boast millions of views. My fellow parents with toddlers roll their eyes in recognition when I bring it up, while those without kids think I’ve lost my mind over the “surprise egg phenomenon.” Lucky them.
Seriously, who came up with this concept, and what were they thinking? As parents, why on earth did we allow these videos into our homes? I’d gladly reverse that decision if I could. They’re worse than Teletubbies or Barney. If I thought I could avoid being sucked into an even more absurd situation, I might consider introducing those shows instead.
There are countless other things I’d rather do with my time, such as doing the dishes, cleaning the house, or even poking my eyes with a fork. Yet, when I hear my daughter, who has an impeccable memory, sweetly ask to “watch the eggs, please,” I cave in. Back to square one it is — eggs on TV, eggs on the tablet. She simply doesn’t care as long as it’s about eggs.
The worst part is when we’re in a situation where I can’t access these videos, and a meltdown ensues. Whether it’s a dead phone, poor Wi-Fi, or slow YouTube loading, I’m doomed. The other day, my daughter found a plastic Easter egg hidden around the house. Now it resides in my car, and she plays with it more than other toys I’ve spent good money on. “Mummy, can you open it and see what’s inside?” she asks, and just like in the videos, she’s astonished to discover whatever she placed inside. This is adorable for a toddler, but completely unacceptable behavior for an adult.
The trend of surprise eggs appears to be relentless, akin to men in purple skinny jeans. I feel a mom uprising against these videos brewing. Yes, I realize how ridiculous that sounds, but my patience is wearing thin. Toddler trends do come and go, but I earnestly hope for a swift transition to something less maddening. Anything else would do — though, caution is advised with wishes like these.
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In summary, the incessant trend of surprise egg videos has overwhelmed many parents, becoming a daily screen time fixture. While effective in managing toddler tantrums, these videos showcase bizarre adult behavior and leave parents yearning for a change.