Mom shares heartwarming moment of a stranger’s kindness during kids throwing tantrums at IKEA

You can see kids throwing tantrums almost everywhere whenever they do not get the things they want.

Jess Jones, a mom of four living near London, warmed hearts with a TikTok video.

The clip, watched by over 300,000 people, tells of a stranger’s kindness during a tough shopping trip to IKEA with her kids, including one child with special needs.

Jess had hoped for a quiet trip, but one child’s distress quickly escalated.

Meanwhile, her toddler threw a fit over candy at the checkout. Juggling kids, shopping, and carts became overwhelming as chaos erupted.

A woman stepped in, offering a lifeline to Jones.

“What do you need? How can I help you right now?” the stranger asked.

Jess was deeply touched by the gesture and began to cry. In her TikTok video, she said she needed more support than the woman probably realized.

Speaking to Newsweek, Jess explained that the woman’s kindness made her feel less alone.

She described the overwhelming feeling many parents experience when they feel they are not doing a good job. She said the woman’s support helped to alleviate those feelings.

Jess also highlighted the challenges of parenting, especially when children need extra support.

She admitted she hadn’t anticipated the practical aspects of everyday life after becoming a parent.

She told Newsweek she imagined being a well-dressed mother with organized kids, enjoying coffee shop dates with friends, but her reality was very different.

“Grabbing your keys, your purse and running out the door to go to the shops was no longer the norm,” she said. “There are 10,000 things to remember and consider and that can increase or get more complicated with more children, or if you have children with additional support needs.”

Jess’s TikTok video garnered thousands of comments, with many praising the stranger’s kindness and highlighting a sense of “sisterhood.”

One commenter noted that the woman had provided the support she once yearned for.

Jess tracked down the kind stranger who commented on her video, expressing gratitude and discovering shared parenting challenges.

The woman, a reflexologist and fellow mom, offered Jones a therapy session, and they planned to meet for coffee.

“I’m really glad I’ve made a new friend,” said Jess.

Why are kids throwing tantrums?

Temper tantrums are common among one- to three-year-olds. These outbursts can include whining, crying, screaming, hitting, kicking, or even holding their breath, says Nemours KidsHealth.

While some kids have frequent tantrums, others rarely do. Experts say these fits are a normal part of childhood and a way for little ones to express frustration or upset feelings.

Parents should stay calm during a tantrum to prevent things from getting worse. The goal is to help the child calm down, so parents need to stay cool.

How to handle the tantrum depends on the cause. If the child is tired or hungry, a nap or snack might help. Otherwise, ignoring the tantrum or offering a distraction can be effective.

If kids throw tantrums to get attention, ignore it. If it’s because something was refused, stay calm, avoid long explanations, and change the activity. Ignore the outburst for tantrums over unwanted tasks but ensure the task is completed once the child calms down.

Tantrums that could lead to injury require moving the child to a safe, quiet place to calm down, even in public. Avoid giving in to tantrums, as it rewards the behavior.

Create a “chill out” spot at home with calming items like cushions, books, and soft music. Encourage the child to use this space when upset, not as punishment, but as a way to learn self-regulation.

Watch Jess Jones as she describes what happened when her kids had tantrums during their shopping trip:

@thejess.jones*UPDATE I FOUND HER* I know the first mistake I made was going to IKEA with four kids on my own and trust me, that £60 delivery charge is looking VERY reasonable now but I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much at the time so thought surely a quick trip there would be alright….😬 Being a parent is hard. Whether you have one kid or four (or more)it can be tough! Navigating parenting a child with additional support needs is new to us and simple things like nipping to ikea suddenly aren’t so simple anymore and you can’t predict it or know what will happen so every day is a learning to work out what is ok and what isn’t. Trevor only gets one weekend off a month, I can’t cram all my errands and life into one weekend so I try and still crack on with all the things we all have to crack on with like any other parent and family. And look, I appreciate the privilege I have of even being able to share the load with him as there are so many parents navigating this all alone or with partners who are away for long periods of time/deployed etc Today was just one of those moments where it all happened at once. The boys was crying, I had also lost my phone in store (someone handed in to security) so I had Sophia dealing with that for me and I was trying desperately so make sure everyone was safe and I could calm and everyone down. I would LOVE to thank this incredible woman who rather than stare or judge me, opened her heart and was so generous with her time to not only help, but wait with me, push my trolley, get me and the kids back to the car and her lovely husband and children who waited patiently and kindly too. It was in IKEA Milton Keynes at around midday today. She was wearing a pink floral dress I think and was blonde? (It’s all a bit of a blur!) she had 2 children who were maybe around 6-9 years old (one was defo a boy). If anyone knows a friend who was there today OR someone has mentioned the desperate mum in IKEA she helped (🙋🏽‍♀️) then please let me know so I can truly thank her properly. And please please please always remember to be kind. It’s hard out here and often it’s made so much worse by the stares, the tuts and the judgement. ❤️

♬ original sound – thejess.jones