Toddler's Wish List for 3rd Birthday Has Mom in Tears: 'So pure'

When a mom asked her toddler what he wanted to do to celebrate his third birthday, she wasn't prepared for his answer.

You might expect a three-year-old to ask for unlimited amounts of cake, a visit to the zoo, or perhaps a pet dinosaur. But, Crew requested the complete opposite.

His Arkansas-based mom, Hannah Black (@hannblack), shared a video of herself smiling while trying to hold back the tears on TikTok.

The clip captioned: "I told him we could do anything. This is so pure. Happy 3rd birthday Crew," has racked up 1.3 million views.

Layered over the footage, Black added a list of the six things her son requested:

• Daddy to stay home from work
• Donuts for breakfast
• Play toys for "all the many minutes" together
• Daddy to bring Chick-fil-A for lunch
• "Special walk for all of us"
• Chicken, broccoli, rice and cucumber for dinner

So far, the video has received 117,000 likes and over 370 comments—many from parents sharing their experiences.

"Proof that kids just really want love," said one user.

Another wrote: "My son asked to eat pizza at Costco and a Cheesecake in the shape of a school bus."

"Whenever we tell our 3 year old we can go anywhere, do anything, eat whatever he wants, he just wants us to play with him," said a third commenter.

A fourth said: "Aww his love language is quality time."

A 2018 survey in the United States, reported by Statista, found that parents typically spend between $51 and $100 on each child's birthday.

How Does a Three-year-old Celebrate Their Birthday?

Children typically begin to grasp the concept of parties at the age of three, according to PBS KIDS, a brand for most of the children's programming aired by PBS. Those accustomed to social environments like preschool, daycare, or playgroups often relish the opportunity to celebrate.

Activities such as singing and circle games are generally more successful than group games for three-year-olds. Parents might introduce a simplified version of Simon Says, without expecting them to distinguish between left and right.

At this age, children may enjoy interacting with peers briefly, but they often struggle with cooperation. It's wise not to have high expectations for guest behavior.

Opening gifts during the party is usually not advisable, as the young guests might not understand why they can't take the presents home.

Limiting the party to about 90 minutes helps prevent overstimulation for the children and exhaustion for the parents.

Newsweek reached out to @hannblack for comment via TikTok. We couldn't verify the details of the case.

If you have a family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.