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Tantrums, a staple of the "terrible twos," are a well-known challenge for parents of toddlers aged 1 to 4. These emotional outbursts can be difficult to manage, especially when they happen frequently. While many strategies exist to deal with these meltdowns, Alivia Cromartie’s unique approach is making waves on social media.

Cromartie, a mother from Georgia, has adapted a behavior commonly seen in dogs known as "Zoomies." Zoomies, or Frenzy Random Activity Periods (FRAPs), are when dogs suddenly burst into energetic running. Cromartie applied this playful technique to calm her 18-month-old daughter, Icey, and it worked wonders.





In a TikTok video that has gained over 15 million views, Cromartie shows how she uses Zoomies to turn Icey's tears into laughter. The video begins with Icey upset and crying. Cromartie then starts running around in circles, which quickly distracts Icey and makes her giggle. The video ends with a heartwarming hug between mother and daughter, leaving viewers both entertained and touched.


Cromartie shared with TODAY that Icey’s tantrum was triggered by hunger. “Icey gets cranky when her food takes too long. I knew I needed to act quickly to avoid a full-blown meltdown,” she explained. “I’ve even done Zoomies in grocery stores, running up and down the aisles. The key is distraction, and it works every time.”

Since posting the video, Cromartie has received a flood of positive feedback from parents who have tried her technique with success. “It works!” they exclaim. “People are surprised, but it really works,” Cromartie added. One Instagram commenter said, “This is wonderful. My babies loved to laugh and it saved us from many meltdowns.”


Another inspiring story comes from Destiny Bennett in Las Vegas. Bennett shared a TikTok video of her calming her 5-year-old son during a tantrum. In the video, her son is visibly upset as they leave the house. Bennett soothes him by expressing her love, gradually calming him down. This tender moment, captured by their door camera, shows the power of gentle and understanding parenting.


Bennett, a mother of three, emphasized the importance of acknowledging children’s feelings while teaching them to cope with disappointment. “Sometimes I have to use every bit of my energy to stay calm and not let my own emotions take over,” she wrote on Instagram. “Not every technique works every time, but showing love and support is crucial, even when things don’t go as planned.”

These stories highlight the effectiveness of creative and compassionate parenting techniques. While each child and situation is different, Cromartie’s Zoomies and Bennett’s loving approach offer valuable inspiration for parents. By staying calm and using innovative methods, parents can help their children manage their emotions and strengthen their bonds, plus, you might score a few laughs!

This article originally appeared last year.

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Visit TikTok to discover videos!

An unexpected confrontation caught on camera

Footage captured by a doorbell camera shows three young girls screaming and running inside as the HOA head approaches their house. Moments later, she rings the doorbell, and their father answers. Wasting no time, she immediately makes her demand:

"So, I am going to ask you to keep them inside," she says.

Clearly puzzled, the father responds with a simple but firm question:

"For what reason?"

Her reasoning? Multiple noise complaints from irritated neighbors.

"I have like 10 houses now contacting me. They are like barking at me and running," she explains.

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Dad isn’t backing down

At first, the father tries to reason with her, explaining that his daughters are just playing outside, as kids do. But as the conversation continues, his patience wears thin.

"That's what's wrong with this world because people like you and those other people don't let kids be kids, okay?" he says, his frustration growing.

Not interested in further debate, he firmly ends the conversation with:

"We appreciate you stopping by. Have a nice night."

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The video, captioned "HOA president gets mad at girls for playing," quickly took off online, with thousands of viewers chiming in on both sides of the argument.

TikTok reacts: Is the dad right, or was the HOA head reasonable?

The viral clip sparked a heated discussion, with some siding with the father and others sympathizing with the HOA president.

Some viewers believed the HOA head was being overly strict and that kids should be free to play outdoors.

@d33dspizza shared a wholesome perspective, writing:

"Our neighbors stopped over and said they loved hearing our kids playing and yelling outside… because theirs are all grown and moved out and they miss hearing it."

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Others, however, thought the volume level mattered—especially if the noise was disturbing residents at night.

@syb1375 pointed out that the HOA head had handled the situation calmly, saying:

"She was being respectful and came to reason with him instead of calling the police after getting so many complaints. It’s nighttime… people work in the morning."

Some commenters saw both sides but noted that ten different households complaining was significant.


"Not looking for a fight, but when 10 different households send a noise complaint, that’s a problem. We don’t know what noises they are making, so I can’t really take a side here."
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Meanwhile, @martin_arce acknowledged the HOA head’s position, writing:

"I wouldn’t be rude to her though. His neighbors demand it from her, and she’s gotta do it as her responsibility. And also, your neighbors’ demands aren’t unreasonable."


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Where is the line between community rules and personal freedoms?

At its core, this situation highlights a larger debate: how much control should HOAs have over residents' daily lives? While some believe neighborhood rules help maintain peace, others argue that they often overstep boundaries—especially when they interfere with something as simple as kids playing outside.

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