What is a Pink Tote lid mom? Meaning behind latest viral TikTok trend explained
A new trend has emerged on TikTok titled the Pink Tote Lid Parent, where teenagers are taking to the video-sharing platform to share their arguments with their mothers. The online challenge emerged after a platform user shared a moment of her parents shouting at her. Child psychologists have since shared the harm behind the movement.
The Pink Tote Lid Parent TikTok trend originated from platform user @pvgtix46336. In a now-deleted video, which has been reposted on various other accounts, a girl can be seen sitting quietly in her room, revealing that she was upset with her parents over an argument she had with them.
While recounting the incident, she whispered to the camera:
“I’m in the shower. I get out, and I am drying my hair, and my mom comes and bangs on the f**king bathroom door like this. So, I’m like- ‘What?’ and she goes- ‘You wanna have a f**king spa day? Go to sleep! I need help!’ So I hurry up, and I get dressed, and I get out.”
The mother then told her to “put the pink things" in her room. When the teenager expressed confusion over the “pink things,” the mother reportedly said, “Just put the goddamn pink tote lids in my f**king bedroom. The pink f**king tote lids, are you f**king dumb?”
The teenager then tearfully revealed that her father also decided to step into the matter and go off on her. The TikTok user then added while she cried- “They’re both just going off on me.”
This led to the emergence of the ‘Pink Tote Lid’ TikTok trend, where netizens took to social media to share moments of their parents being aggressive towards them.
Psychology experts respond to the Pink Tote Lid TikTok trend
As the Pink Tote Lid movement emerged online with several netizens sharing moments of parenting fails, child psychiatrist Dr. Willough Jenkins took to the social networking site to share that the parents were showing signs of “classic displacement of anger.” She said in her video:
“Displaced aggression is a defense mechanism that involves redirecting negative emotions from their original source to a less threatening target. It’s a defense mechanism that can occur when someone is unable or unwilling to respond aggressively to the original source.”
Jenkins then shared an example of a parent returning home and going off on their children after a hard day at work. She added:
“I don’t think parents realize the impact of their behavior sometimes and most parents aren’t intending to be hurtful, it’s truly hard from all sides but I do think parents need to do better not displacing their anger and frustration onto their children.”
In an interview with CNBC Make It, clinical psychologist Jazmine McCoy also shared that often barking at one’s children can lead to them developing behavioral problems as they do not feel supported by their parents. McCoy said:
“Because kids who ... feel more connected with us and feel more supported by us, well, they're going to do better. They're going to be more successful, happier, etc.”
Meanwhile, others continued to share their Pink Tote Lid moments on TikTok, with platform user Bri Clancy revealing that she had her first moment when she was just six or seven years old when her mother packed her clothes in a garbage bag and told her that she was “done” with her because she was upset.
Another TikTok user, @emilily88, revealed that her father once got upset with her after she was not enjoying a trip the family was on. He failed to notice that she was sick and went on to call her “ungrateful and selfish,” which became her Pink Lid Tote moment.
Netizens continue to flood the internet with their recollections of parenting fail moments.