Mom checks the baby monitor after her 18-month-old starts crying — finds her elder son stepping up

There is an emerging shift in the notion that women are society's primary caregivers. The internet proves that fathers and brothers may also equally contribute to nurturing and caring for loved ones. Gloria McIntosh (@gloriaangelou), a mom of six, was proud to share a glimpse of her 10-year-old son’s sense of responsibility towards his younger sibling. One night, McIntosh and her husband awoke to crying sounds from the baby monitor. Their 18-month-old baby, Greyson, was suddenly up and alone in his room. Before the mom decided to step in, she witnessed something beautiful unravel between her sons, as seen in a now-viral TikTok. 

Mason, their 10-year-old son, got up at 3 a.m. to the sound of his sibling’s cries and showed up for his big brother duties. McIntosh watched in surprise while their fourth-grader son walked in and held his toddler sibling in a warm embrace. “I heard him fussing, so I checked the camera to see if he would just fall back asleep,” the mom wrote in a note on the video. As the scene unfolded, she saw Mason lifting his brother out of the crib to comfort him. He was patient and kind with the baby, holding him, playing, and reading a story to get him to sleep. When nothing seemed to work, Mason climbed up the crib with his baby brother to give him company. 

“I was smiling the whole time,” the mom told TODAY Parents. According to her, Mason stayed for about half an hour until she came to relieve him. When asked why he did not call out to his mother, Mason said, “You had a big day, and I just wanted you to get some rest.” In the video, McIntosh admired her son’s sensible approach. He was attuned to the hard work of his mother and wanted to share the load with her. “Parenting is not his responsibility, just the fact that he understood that he is his brother’s keeper, and considered my long days as a mom, is much appreciated,” she penned. 

McIntosh revealed that Mason has a love so deep for his younger brother that it is “unspeakable.” “I’m sure Mason was tired and cranky. He was woken up at 3 a.m. But how you saw him treat his brother is how he is. He steps up,” the mom, who is also a writer, told the outlet. Meanwhile, the clip won hearts on the internet, receiving 5.6 million likes and several comments noting Mason’s tender nature.

@mz_shina_fdt wrote, “When he crawled into the crib, I was done for. Amazing young man.” While @tiarasshow said, “Love how he gets in the crib with him.” “You’re an amazing mom, and it shines through your kids,” acknowledged @lilmissmuffet305. An emotional viewer (@sercretsociety) confessed, “I’m sitting here crying. This is so beautiful.” The American Behavioral Clinics explained that emotional maturity is a trait that extends beyond age and appearance. It is often an innate ability in people, even children, to comprehend, manage, and express emotions that encourages personal growth and harmonious relationships. 

You can follow @gloriaangelou on TikTok for more videos.