" So , off to exercise I went , with a burnished pink baby doll … "

A woman named Tiara recently shared this TikTok of her daughter Emma’s morning meltdown because she couldn’t take her doll to daycare. However, the video quickly started going viral once people realized how creative Tiara got in making sure Emma knew her doll was in good hands that day:

CantBringBabyToDaycare#meltdown#toddlersoftiktok#worker#fypシ゚viral

BuzzFeed spoke to Tiara who said 2-year-old Emma started attending daycare a few months ago. “The night before the video occurred, I had to resign from the daycare contract and noticed a section that said parents were encouraged to keep personal toys at home as it causes tension with sharing during daycare hours,” she said.

And that clearly made little Emma sad because Tiara said she’s been bringing her baby dolls to previous daycare for the last year and a half.

However, Tiara, who works as a strategic initiatives manager at Collective Health, decided to let Emma know her doll would be in good hands with her at work. “I work hybrid, so I only go into the office two days a week. With that, Emma sees me work at home often and thinks work is ‘fun.’ Sometimes I’ll let her sit on my lap and type or move the mouse around, and she gets a kick out of it. I thought if Emma likes working, she’ll find it entertaining that her baby went to work.”

And Tiara didn’t just tell Emma that the doll — named ‘Baby’ — was coming to work with her; she followed through on her promise. “Off to work I went, with a bright pink baby doll! I initially only thought I would just take one to two photos for Emma, but my coworkers had other plans for ‘Baby’s first day at work.'”

So, Tiara staged Baby, hard at work. “One of my coworkers, a manager, asked me if I lost my marbles when she saw me working with a doll on my desk. After telling her why I had it, she insisted on taking Baby to all of her work meetings for the day. So off Baby went. To team huddles. Work meetings. Lunch. She even went to the first aid station for a Band-Aid.”

Here is Baby getting her much-needed morning coffee..

Enjoying pad thai…

…And, of course, using the work potty like a big girl!

When Tiara showed Emma the photos of Baby’s eventful day later that night, she just loved it!

People everywhere were applauding Tiara’s A+ parenting in this situation:

Tiara’s sweet gesture even reminded some of the times their parents showed up for them in similar ways:

And people also loved the fact that Tiara’s coworkers were totally up for playing along:

All in all, it was a tremendously heartfelt video that over 1.5 million people loved:

The best part, however, is that it worked! Emma has not had any more morning meltdowns about Baby. “Kids are so resilient. Since this day, she hasn’t thrown a fit or had any difficulty with the transition. Every night, before bed, Emma and I talk through what we are doing the following day. It’s usually something like, ‘Emma, tomorrow mommy is going to work and Emma gets to go to school and play with her friends.’ The other day, before bed, she said, ‘Mommy, tomorrow Mommy goes to work and Emma goes to school. And Baby goes to work, too! With Mommy!'”

So, this adorable little video has become an important reminder that sometimes the littlest gesture — like bringing a baby doll to work — can mean the world to a kid.

You can follow Tiara on TikTok.

A young girl stands on a sidewalk crying and holding a doll with a house and garden in the background

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A doll with blue eyes wearing a pink outfit with a sticker that reads "Women Who Advocate" and "Collective Women."

A baby doll is propped up against a keyboard on a desk in an office setting. Multiple desks and monitors are visible in the background

Four people are seated in an office. Three adults surround the doll seated on a swivel chair with a laptop

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A hand is holding a baby doll dressed in a matching hat and outfit over a toilet

A young girl in pajamas holding a baby doll watches a laptop screen attentively

Amy, known as MamaBubbles, praises a mom for earning trust by taking care of a baby and providing proof

Dani's post reads: "I will never forget my mom keeping my tamagotchi alive at her job when I was in school"

Tara Knutson's comment: "Your work associates are amazing for playing along, I love this"

Lil Bear comments, "Parenting level: professional"

A young child is wrapped in a fluffy blanket, holding Baby

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