Mom teaches her kid social skills and now she speaks better than most adults: 'Nice to meet cha...'
Before most toddlers can form full sentences, Carter knows and is already learning how to introduce herself, make eye contact, and shake hands, all thanks to her mom, Skylar (@sky.kellisa), who’s turning everyday play into a masterclass in public communication. In a now-viral Instagram video, Skylar role-plays a simple greeting with her daughter. “Hi, I’m Skylar,” she says. Carter replies with a grin, “Hi, I’m Carter.” “Nice to meet cha!”, in her toddler language.
She sweetly and very politely corrects her mom during the introduction, saying, “You’re Mommy!” when Skylar introduces herself. Skylar is guiding Carter through the basics of communication, something many adults find nerve-wracking. And Carter, full of energy and curiosity, is soaking it all in with joy. Moments later, she proudly points to her mom and declares, “Mommy!”, a sweet confirmation that even in pretend-play, she knows who her real anchor is.
Skylar captioned the post, “The fact that a few days after this, she actually said ‘nice to meet you’ to a stranger (prompted by me) still.” Skylar doesn’t stop there. She gently encourages Carter to extend this friendly habit to others. Later in the clip, she prompts her toddler to ask strangers how they’re doing. What followed was a wave of appreciation, laughter, and admiration in the comments section. The internet had a meltdown over a 19-month-old old had better communication skills than most adults. @salooneeew loved the unexpected parenting tone, “Saying ‘so in this situation’ to a baby is so comical, I’m obsessed.”@adzo_mawu recognized the deeper processing in Carter’s mind, “‘I call you mommy’ is higher-level processing for her age. Very beautiful.” Others just wanted to meet Carter themselves.
@turnthepaige30 wrote, “If I met a toddler and they shook my hand with their teenie tiny hand and said nice to meetcha I’d melt into an actual puddle.”And for @an0malyonthepole, this wasn’t just toddler content, it was something adults could use, too: “I’m socially awkward. Do you run this class for adults?” @kturnharder, a fellow parent, chimed in with her own success story, “I spent the last two years giving my daughter conversation prompts, now she is a fearless communicator who confidently asks people, ‘So what is your favorite zebra?’”
In another wholesome story featured on The Daily Net, the same parents are seen helping Carter build her confidence in a different setting, by encouraging her to order her own smoothie. At just 21 months old, while many toddlers are still stringing together simple words, Carter is already learning how to express her choices in public. In the video, she’s determined to ask for a strawberry and banana smoothie, her pronunciation a little wobbly, but her enthusiasm unmistakable. The moment, though full of toddler charm, is another glimpse into her parents’ quiet commitment: to let her try, speak up, and feel heard. As the caption in that clip puts it, “Us as parents, building her confidence by making her do things on her own.”
As noted in the same story, "Research shows that allowing toddlers to make small, age-appropriate choices and speak for themselves builds lasting confidence and independence. A study published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology found that when young children are supported in making their own decisions, they not only build self-esteem but also develop stronger problem-solving skills and social awareness."
For more videos like this, you can follow @sky.kellisa on Instagram!.