A mum has sparked a huge debate online after sharing a parenting “hack” that involved putting her toddlers inside a cardboard box with crayons while she cleaned the house.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Gabrielle Lynn Dunn posted the viral clip to TikTok after deciding to test out an idea she had previously seen floating around on the platform.
The setup was simple.
Using an old cardboard box, Dunn placed her two children inside with coloured pencils and crayons so they could doodle on the inside walls while she got on with household chores.
In the video, the mum-of-two proudly showed off how much uninterrupted cleaning she could suddenly get done while her children stayed entertained inside the makeshift play area.
“Glad we didn’t break down that box yet,” she told her 14.5 thousand followers.
The clip quickly exploded online, eventually racking up more than 10.8 million views and dividing opinion across TikTok.
A lot of parents absolutely loved the idea, with many saying it was a genuinely clever way to keep young children occupied for a short period of time.
“Honestly some moms are so genius,” one person commented.
Another admitted they’d probably end up joining in themselves, writing: “Yeah but I might be that parent in the box with them lmao. What don’t judge me lmao.”
One TikTok user praised the creativity of the idea by joking it was “thinking inside the box.”
Others even compared it to the way pets become obsessed with packaging.
“Kids are similar to cats in this. Even my nephew prefers his cardboard box,” one person wrote.
Another user revealed the trick had actually been around for years in some households.
“My mom did this with me and my sisters. the magic box was the best part of cleaning day,” they shared.
But while many viewers saw the idea as harmless fun, others were far less convinced.
Some parents claimed the trick simply wouldn’t work with their own children.
“My 2 year old hated this.. he got so mad lol I even tried to make it into a house!” one user wrote.
Others raised concerns about what toddlers might actually do once left alone with crayons and cardboard.
Another commenter pointed out that “everything’s great until the kids start eating the crayons.”
One particularly dramatic critic even accused Dunn of creating “future graffiti artists.”
A number of viewers also worried the activity could encourage children to start drawing on walls around the house.
“Reinforces drawing on walls. RIP,” one person commented.
Another added: “Am I the only one thinking this will have them coloring the walls by bedtime.”
Others questioned why the children couldn’t simply play elsewhere in the home instead.
“Do they not have a bedroom to play in?” one viewer asked.
Despite the backlash, plenty of people defended the mum online, arguing that parents constantly find creative ways to balance childcare with getting jobs done around the house.
Featured image credit: TikTok/@gabi_dunn (screenshots)
