"For Florida mom Tiffani Ortega, the strategy came out of a moment of pure frustration. Her husband was strapping their 2-year-old son, Luca, into his car seat when his usual post-playground meltdown kicked in. Ortega had seen another parent try the so-called 'Jessica' trick online and decided to give it a shot. She called out, 'Jessica!' Almost immediately, Luca stopped crying, looking around as if trying to locate whoever had just been summoned."
"Evanthia Davis, a mother of three in California, had a similar reaction when she used the 'Jessica' trick. After hearing her youngest daughter, Delilah, wailing, she shouted 'Jessica!' and was shocked to see Delilah stop mid-cry, looking around for Jessica. Davis has since used the tactic multiple times and even experimented with other names, suggesting that the power of the trick may lie less in 'Jessica' itself than in the element of surprise."
"Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a family expert, explains that the element of surprise is what makes the tactic effective. When a child is in the midst of a tantrum, calling out a name they do not expect can redirect their attention and disrupt the emotional response, leading to a moment of confusion that halts the crying."
The name 'Jessica' has resurfaced in parenting strategies, particularly in viral videos where it is used to halt tantrums. Parents like Tiffani Ortega and Evanthia Davis have reported success using the name to distract their children during meltdowns. The tactic relies on the element of surprise, as children momentarily pause to search for the person they believe is being called. This method has led to experimentation with other names, indicating that the effectiveness may stem from the unexpected nature of the call rather than the name itself.
Read at TODAY.com
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