Is Cracking An Egg On Your Kid's Head For Likes "Child Abuse?"

The viral egg crack prank is taking over TikTok and some are calling it child abuse.

Parents are cracking eggs on their unsuspecting young child's head and the outcome has some laughing and others crying.

Videos start out wholesome with a parent and their young child getting ready to do some fun baking. But then it turns to tears, cursing, and likely future trust issues when the parent takes an egg and cracks it on the child's head without any warning. And some of them appear to be quite painful.

There are tons of these videos of parents traumatizing their young children by cracking an egg on their forehead, and just as many, if not more, comments that talk about why this is considered child abuse.

Dr. Tanya Altmann, a pediatrician, shared her thoughts on the trend in a TikTok video.

"Seriously? My office was cracking up laughing as the phone was ringing asking me to do news segments on the new TikTok egg challenge," she said. "Where apparently, parents are cracking eggs on their toddlers' heads. Okay, why would you wanna do that to your child?"

She continued to say that she doesn't feel it's "nice or appropriate" and she offered a better option - an egg toss or water balloon toss in the backyard.

"Why upset your child? And then they're gonna role model that same behavior and try to hit their friends in the head with other things when they're at school," she continued. "I love eggs, super healthy breakfast for all ages. I love getting kids in the kitchen, but come on, I mean, is there nothing better to do now?"

She concluded her video by asking parents to model good behavior for their kids and get them into the kitchen to teach them how to handle food and cook properly.

Many people who agreed with Dr. Altmann left comments with their thoughts.

"As a parent, what gets me is their sweet faces so excited to help. Then the looks on their faces were hurt and humiliation," one parent said. Another added, "Hitting your child on the head with your hand is abuse. Doing it with a hard egg is no different."

Amanda Mathers, a pediatric occupational therapist who specializes in child development also gave her thoughts on the trend in a TikTok video. She said watching the egg crack prank videos made her "super emotional."

"This trend is just hurting my soul," she said. "Children are watching and learning from you as parents. Their little brains soak up everything at this young age."

She explained that if you find yourself wondering why your child hits other people, maybe it's time to watch our actions and words as parents.

"You are teaching them that hitting someone in the head hard with an object is acceptable and funny," she continued. "And not only that, but the worst part is that most of you watched your child respond and cry in response to embarrassment and pain and you laughed in their face. Guys, this is bullying."

Learning this behavior at an early age can have a child growing up believing that it's normal and acceptable. This can, in turn, make them bully others or become a victim "because they don't feel safe communicating this or understand that this is not an acceptable behavior."

One follower pointed out that this trend is similar to another popular one that upsets many. "This and that 'I ate all your Halloween candy' one. Why?!" one follower asked.

Another follower points out, "They get so excited to help in the kitchen and then THAT. Their whole body language changes. 😭💔"

One parent shared an alternative to the egg crack trend.

"I hated it immediately. We made eggs, I ASKED if they wanted to be silly and crack them on our heads. They loved it," she said. Mathers responded, "YESSS!! Love this! Asking permission first and letting them know something funny is coming!"

What are your thoughts on this trend? Do you feel it should be classified as child abuse?