Jessica Biel has shared her thoughts on the “Jessica” parenting hack that has recently gained popularity on social media. In a TikTok video posted on Friday (10 April), the actress addressed the trend where parents use the name “Jessica” to distract their toddlers during tantrums.
Biel, who is a mother to two sons with her husband Justin Timberlake, expressed uncertainty about the trend. She said, “Guys, I’m not really sure how I feel about this Jessica trend with moms and toddlers and now dogs apparently it’s working for – which is kind of amazing, I’m gonna try it on my dogs.”
She added, “I feel like half the kids in these videos look petrified.” Acknowledging how her own name is involved in the trend, she said, “I really love if I can come into your household with my name that I share with so many other incredible Jessicas around the world, I’m sure, and help you with your kids’ tantrum, but I sort of feel like these kids are terrified.”
The 44-year-old continued, “They look terrified and hopeful that Jessica is not gonna show up.” She emphasized that she does not want a generation of children to be afraid of people with her name. “Part of me wants to say, ‘You’re welcome. Glad I could be helpful. Glad all of us Jessicas could be helpful.’ And also, please please please don’t make your toddler terrified of people named Jessica. ‘Cause we’re good people. We’re nice people. We wanna help you with the tantrum, but we don’t wanna scare the s*** out of your kid.”
Biel shared her experience using the trick on her young sons, saying, “Of course it’s not working with my kids. My kids are like, ‘What? Why are you yelling your own name, you weirdo? You’re weirder than you already are normally.’”
The 7th Heaven star welcomed her first child, Silas, with Timberlake in 2015, followed by a second son, Phineas, in 2020. “So yeah, I’m conflicted,” Biel concluded. “I don’t know what to say. What do you guys think? No other name works? You’re welcome? It’s a toss up.”
The Sinner star previously commented on the trend earlier in the week. The day before, on Thursday (9 April), the actor posted examples of people doing the trend on her Instagram Stories, alongside the caption: “You rang?”
The trend went viral earlier this month as parents documented their success with it on social media. In one clip posted by a woman named Tiffani Ortega, her son could be seen crying in his car seat while his father was buckling him in.
“Jessica, come here,” he said as he stood outside the car with his head turned. Only seconds later, the toddler’s crying came to a halt while he looked around for the person his dad appeared to be calling for.
“Come here, Jessica. He’s crying,” Ortega’s husband continued, pretending to call for someone. “Are you going to stop crying? Because Jessica is coming. You want Jessica to come?”
“Yes,” the toddler responded, while he leaned back in his car seat and completely stopped crying.
In the comments of Ortega’s TikTok video, which has more than 19 million views, people were impressed by the trick.
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