Grandpa who wears his hat 24/7 takes it off — and toddler reacts like it’s the end of the world

Babies are simple beings with complex emotions. They feel comfortable and safe when around people they are familiar with. But beware, even the slightest tweak in appearance can stir up big emotions in the little ones. Breelan Danielle, who goes by @breeland_danielle on TikTok, captured a rib-tickling moment between her baby daughter and her 51-year-old dad that has gone viral, garnering 18 million views. Tucked in grandpa’s arms, the toddler barely expected to receive the shock of the day when he took off his cap. 

Danielle’s dad quickly removed his cap to reveal his bald head while the baby was still distracted by the camera and the people around. Her grandpa nudged her to turn towards her while her mom filmed to catch her daughter’s unexpected reaction. Eventually turning to her grandad, the baby girl was surprised, not in a good way, by his changed appearance. As tears welled up in her eyes, the grandpa quickly put on his cap to calm her down. If it was not obvious enough, the granddaughter rejected his no-cap look, and the family had to comply.

“When your grandpa wears a hat 24/7, you really don’t like it when he takes it off,” an overlay text on the video reads. Meanwhile, the mom spoke about her daughter’s “expressive” nature in the caption. Turns out, the whole family is a fan of the little one's adorably hilarious expressions. “Her facial expressions crack us up! And yes, that is my dad. He’s 51,” the note read. The comment section became a fan fest of humor and delight for several reasons. Some viewers mused about the baby’s reaction while a few others admired the grandad’s youthful appearance. 

“The way all of your bald babies judge other bald people,” wrote a fellow mom, @mamaannette, and @shyyharrell pointed out, “It’s the eye squinting. She literally was trying to understand what was making him scare her.” Then, came the comments about the grandad. “Am I getting older because these grandparents are looking younger?” quipped @lannajodontchaknow. “Grandpa is cute. My grandpas did not look like that,” said @turicke. A comment by @emerald8185 took a different approach. “I had the same reaction on a recent blind date when he removed his hat,” it stated.

According to Kids Health, babies often feel stranger anxiety when they are around people they do not recognize. By 8 to 9 months old, they develop the ability to recognize familiar faces. New faces, even appearance changes, can thus leave the little ones distraught. However, it is not something to worry about since it is a natural development. A report by Healthychildren.org explained that anxiety around strangers is one of the first emotional milestones for a baby. This natural fear is also called the Moro reflex. It is an automatic response babies show when they feel startled by sudden changes in their environment, per the Cleveland Clinic. On the brighter side, it is also the reflex that allows babies to take their first breath.

You can follow @breelan_danielle on TikTok for more videos.