What Are ‘Pink Tote Lid Moments’? The Unsettling TikTok Trend, Explained

All over TikTok, users are sharing their “pink tote lid moments.” In the spirit of lighthearted TikTok trends, the phrase might sound like it’s describing quirky tales about storage containers, but it has a far darker meaning. It’s come to signify the experience of being belittled or demeaned by one’s parents, in some cases even physically abused.

The “pink tote lid moment” trend began when a visibly upset teen girl posted a now-deleted TikTok video. In it, she films herself in her dark room, speaking in a whisper so her mother won’t hear her, as she recounts a confrontation they had. The girl says she was drying her hair in the bathroom when her mother banged on the door, saying she needed help. When the teenager asked for specifics, she recounted, her mom demanded that her daughter put the “goddamn pink tote lids in my f**cking bedroom.”

Pink tote lids likely refer to lids of plastic storage boxes, but their literal definition is secondary. What matters is the concept they have come to represent, which has struck a chord on TikTok, where young people frequently post videos chronicling the ups and downs of their lives. In this case, users have been recounting instances of their parents erupting in anger, often over a minor perceived infraction.

TikTok Trend With Trigger Warnings

Some of these stories appear to reflect more everyday moments of parental exhaustion and frustration — and a few mothers have responded with videos of their own, reminding kids, as this one does, that “moms are human, we are going to mess up.” Other stories are far more chilling, chronicling regular extreme outbursts and pushing, hitting or kicking.

Many of the videos are emotional, with people crying and setting their “pink tote lid moment” stories to the melancholy Billie Eilish ballad “What Was I Made For”? from the Barbie movie soundtrack. “When did it end? All the enjoyment,” Eilish sings. A few videos include trigger warnings. I won’t embed any of them here, because some posters are minors and they’re sharing family stories publicly without parents having a chance to respond. TikTok didn’t respond to a request for comment.

MORE FOR YOU
Elon Musk Apparently Just Became The No. 1 ‘Diablo 4’ Player In The World
Stop Using Your Passwords—1Password And Google Warn
No, Your Gmail Isn’t Truly Private—2 Ways To Fix That

Are You A ‘Pink Tote Lid Parent’?

It’s not just kids sharing “pink tote lid” posts. Adults are joining the conversation, posting videos in which they admit to being “pink tote lid parents” themselves. Many reflect on their own childhood trauma and pledge to break the cycle with their children. Mental health professionals have also begun weighing in.

“When I talk to adults who are estranged from their parents,” Florida therapist Whitney Goodman says in a TikTok video, “they have no shortage of these ‘pink tote lid moments,’ these moments where it’s like the parent just genuinely unleashes their anger on the kid. They have absolutely no ability to restrain themselves when they are frustrated.”

In the video, Goodman acknowledges and affirms the lingering distress expressed in the “pink lid moment” TikTok videos proliferating on the platform.

“If you’re a kid or an adult who has experienced these moments with their parent, I want you to know that it makes sense why you’re upset by this,” she says. “It is very disregulating to have someone do this to you.”

Child psychiatrist Dr. Willough Jenkins, an associate professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego, has also shared TikTok videos addressing the viral phenomenon and stressing its potential as an educational tool.

“Sometimes, as parents, we displace our frustration about one thing — a bad day at work, stress about finances — onto our kids without even realizing it,” Jenkins said in an interview. “This trend offers a mirror, letting us see how those moments can land for our children. What struck me most was the potential for learning and growth. Recognizing the impact of your behavior without being directly in the situation yourself can be a transformative way to reflect and do better.”

Is Social Media The Place To Share Trauma?

Jenkins emphasized the value that young people, especially those who feel unheard, can derive from sharing their experiences.

“It’s validating to have someone say, ‘I hear you, and you’re not alone,’” she said. “It can also create a sense of community and open up larger conversations about how adults’ actions, intentional or not, impact children in the long term.”

But while comments posted in response to “pink tote lid” revelations have so far been overwhelmingly empathetic, sharing such deeply personal stories on social media doesn’t come without risks. A number of studies have concluded that time spent on platforms like TikTok can lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem as kids get harassed or embarrassed online and compare their lives with the polished and carefully curated narratives crafted by others. It’s one of the reasons school are ramping up cellphone bans.

Publicizing sensitive personal stories can amplify those vulnerabilities.

“Sharing these stories so publicly leaves young people vulnerable to feedback from strangers — some supportive, others not,” Jenkins said. “There’s also the risk of their stories being trivialized, reduced to entertainment or even misunderstood.”

Goodman shares that concern.

“Many of these videos will likely be taken out of context, and people will see them through their own lens,” the therapist said in an interview. “This may lead to negative comments or attacks online. I worry about young people who are lacking support at home and also receiving a lot of negative feedback online about something so difficult and personal.”

Healing is a highly personal process, Jenkins noted, and while sharing plays a role, how and where people choose to do so matters.

“I do worry that some of the people sharing their trauma are at risk of re-traumatizing themselves and also triggering other viewers,” the psychiatrist said. “I encourage anyone to reflect, and if they are a minor to talk to an adult, before adding their own story to the trend.”