New mom admits ‘anger’ is her biggest struggle, but an ice cube hack has surprisingly helped her

Parenting is one of the most rewarding experiences in anyone's life, but it is also filled with numerous tough moments along the way. It isn't always picture-perfect, and one new mom, Jen (@livingthrulove on TikTok), is opening up about it. In a refreshingly honest moment, she shared that dealing with her anger has been one of her biggest challenges since she became a parent. But surprisingly, one simple trick that involves ice cubes has helped her stay calm even in those tough moments—and parents across the world are eager to try the hack.

The video begins with Jen holding a bowl of ice cubes and smashing a handful of them on the floor. In the overlay text, she wrote, "I saw a TikTok suggesting ice throwing as a good way to release." Since she had already tried it and saw the hack help her calm down, she recommended it to everyone who was dealing with similar issues. Jen explained that this trick helps release the urge to destroy something, without causing any real damage. Her emotions were so intense at the moment that even after emptying the bowl, she wasn’t completely relieved, so she picked up a few ice cubes from the floor and smashed them again.

Viewers in the comment section shared their views on this, with a few of them praising the woman for choosing a safe way to express her postpartum emotions. One TikTok user, @hallucinatedbugs, commented, “As someone who experiences autistic meltdowns, I can only imagine how hard postpartum rage must be to deal with. This is a great coping skill, and I hope everything will be much easier on you soon.” Another person, @higraciebaby, wrote, “Postpartum rage is so overlooked. I'm sorry, girl. I used to rage and rage and rage until I ended up crying on the floor. Do whatever feels best for you to get those emotions out.”

Similarly, @peoplestinkbycarissa chimed in, “Good job! You’re regulating yourself! You recognized you needed a moment, and you are doing what you can to help! I’m proud of you.” @dys.spam_ also stated, “At least she’s expressing her emotions. Building them up inside you, or even taking them out on your child, will do so much more damage than throwing ice cubes.” Adding to the above comments, @dazeddandconfuseddddd wrote, “I used to just scream into a pillow to let it out, but every time I did, my throat hurt so badly after. This would have been so amazing if I had thought of it then! I promise this stage passes.”

Meanwhile, this ice cube hack isn’t just for new moms—one TikTok user even used it to help calm her child’s tantrums. Fellow mom, @newenglandrunnr, shared a video on the social media platform and said that one of her go-to tricks for calming her 3-year-old during tough moments is giving him ice cubes to throw into the bathtub—and it works like magic. She went on to explain that her child soon starts listening to her after trying this trick, as throwing the ice helps him release his emotions. Moreover, the cold sensation from the ice cube also calms his nerves.

You can follow @livingthrulove on TikTok for more parenting tips.