Little girl was stunned after seeing her dad without a beard for the first time — and we are on her side

Kids are simpletons when it comes to change. Their sensitive nature will urge them to react to the slightest alterations in routine, environment, or even the way their caregivers look. By the same token, a toddler’s strange reaction to her father shaving off his beard has caught the internet’s attention. The father, Xavier, had flaunted a beard for about a decade, and the couple’s 3-year-old daughter was not accustomed to any other look on him. When he decided to shave it off for professional reasons, the baby girl was speechless. Mom Janiece Gilbert shared a clip of her daughter’s reaction on their joint TikTok page, @acouple.gs, that stormed the platform with 9.7 million views. 

Gilbert, who hails from Florida, was completely against the idea of her husband’s shave. “I never saw him without a beard, and he hadn't shaved it since high school, which was almost 10 years ago," she told Newsweek. In the viral video, their toddler hesitantly walks up to her father with a clean shave as the mom quips, “You ready to see daddy?” Then, the moment of truth unfolds. The daughter gawked at her father in amazement and surprise, not in a positive way. Almost tearing up, she leans in for a quick hug. When the father lifts her up, the girl continues to stare at him with her big baby eyes and a questionable look on her face. Not a single word out of her mouth. 

Meanwhile, their younger infant, who had been busy playing with her toys, looks up and resumes her work unbothered. Explaining her husband’s decision, the mother of two told the outlet, “Xavier actually shaved his beard off for a work-related reason. It's not something he would ever normally do because that beard is like a part of him.” The couple also photoshopped his picture to get an idea of his post-shave appearance. She added, “That beard was a staple, so this was a major change!" The couple laughed it off, but was overwhelmed by the response on the internet. She was surprised that many people could relate to the situation. 

“This is why women beg you not to shave…trust issues begin here,” a note on the video insinuated, hinting at how men often are asked by women not to shave their beards because it changes their entire facial topography, sometimes even making them look like a kid. Gilbert mused in the post’s caption, “Her villain origin story being written as we speak.” While the father’s clean-shaven face was not validated by his toddler, the video became a hit among viewers, receiving 1.8 million likes.

People made a note of the kid’s reaction and shared their thoughts in the comments. @ngi.mane wrote, “Nah, her face scrunched up when he kissed her. She does not approve.” Similarly, @monicamartin0526 joked, “Baby was like, ‘Yoo, who’s man’s this?’” “She is definitely blaming her mama for this mess,” stated @chucktaylorjones. Another commenter (@bmgemane) had a wild revelation to share. “So this is why cartoons never change their clothes and hairstyles.” "She is looking at the camera for help," mused @lovebuns3000.

You can follow @acouple.gs on TikTok for more funny parenting videos.