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142
“He Looked Terrified”: Viral Momfluencer Slammed After Sharing Clip Of Son Flinching At Dad
Parenting influencer Hannah Hiatt, known as Nurse Hannah, sparked controversy on TikTok after a now-deleted video showed her young son flinching as his father approached him in a grocery store. Some viewers speculated the child’s reaction might indicate fear or trauma, while some suggested sensory issues or overstimulation.
Trigger warning: child abuse – Nurse Hannah, who has 95,300 followers on TikTok, shared a video which she has since deleted, in which her son, James, seemingly flinched when her husband approached the little boy while he was sitting in a shopping cart.
Highlights
- Controversy arose after a video showed Nurse Hannah's son flinching at his father in a store.
- Speculation surrounds the child's flinch, with theories of abuse, trauma, or sensory issues.
- Nurse Hannah deactivated comments and made her Instagram private after backlash.
- Critics warn against parenting trends like 'testing' children for flinching responses.
While the original video isn’t available on Hannah’s TikTok page anymore, it has been re-shared on social media.
A person re-shared the controversial clip on TikTok, writing in the caption: “Why is a toddler that age FLINTCHING at anything? This needs to be looked into.”
RELATED:
Parenting influencer Hannah Hiatt, known as Nurse Hannah, sparked controversy on TikTok
Image credits: hannah_bhiatt
Image credits: hannah.bhiatt
A slew of people subsequently flocked to express their concerns, as a TikTok user commented: “Not even just the flinching, he looked at her with pure terror.”
A person wrote: “He looked terrified.”
Someone else penned: “If they’re recording that. imagine what goes on that they aren’t recording.”
She shared a now-deleted video that showed her young son flinching as his father approached him in a grocery store
Image credits: ohimasharethetea
Image credits: ohimasharethetea
“So heartbreaking,” a netizen added.
An observer shared: “This was me as a toddler, after being beaten by my dad all the time.
“My kindergarten teacher saw me flinch away from her when I accidentally dropped a toy, and then she filed a CPS report.”
Some viewers speculated the child’s reaction might indicate fear or trauma
@amandachristine_1 Replying to @kristina Nurse Hannah’s now deleted IG video about her controversial parenting. Not buying the “pat on the bum” when her now 2 year old flinches and throws his arms up in fear. #nursehannah#rubyfranke#hannahhiatt#greenscreen#fyp#greenscreenvideo♬ original sound – A M A N D A
“My son has ADHD,” a cybernaut stated. “He flinches over everything because it catches him off guard. This baby is literally blocking his face!”
A commentator added: “Aww the poor baby. that’s so sad.”
Image credits: hannah.bhiatt
An additional viewer noted: “He went to block his face too after the flinch I hope he is ok.”
Another user echoed: “He looked right up at her face to analyze her current emotions. Anger would mean abuse and he knows it.”
A separate individual chimed in: “Omg that’s a learned reaction! Someone go save that baby! That’s pure fear in those eyes!”
Some suggested sensory issues or overstimulation as a reason for the boy’s flinching
@tierramoyers We rough house with him all the time and he still doesn’t flich in fear because he knows we would never hurt him. #fyp#17diapers#gentleparenting#abuse#gentleparent#nursehannah#toddlermom#momlife#momtok#toddlertok#toddlerlife♬ original sound – Tierra Moyers
Children who are being physically abused may have injuries like burns, bites, cuts, bruises, or broken bones, Kent Council’s Family Hub explains. These may not match any reason given for their cause.
The child may seem afraid of a particular person. They may flinch if they are touched or seem withdrawn.
Hannah has since deactivated the comment sections on her TikTok page, in addition to switching her Instagram profile to private.
@runningwithblake♬ original sound – Kyle
Moreover, the nurse uploaded a follow-up video addressing the abuse allegations, which has seemingly been deleted.
Nevertheless, YouTuber Melina Tesi re-shared the clip on Tuesday (December 3). In the video, Hannah clarified: “If you know me in real life, this whole crazy husband thing, it’s satire.”
The momfluencer had been sharing videos on TikTok seemingly shedding a humorous and negative light on her “lazy” husband.
Nurse Hannah’s video sparked a worrisome trend encouraging parents to “test” their children
@_mariclaremaclamroc_ @hannah_bhiatt #baby#Relationship#fyp#foryou#momlifebelikethat#teenmom#fy#hannahbhiatt♬ original sound – MariClareMacLamroc
“My husband is the sweetest, nicest, kindest, most loving, most nurturing father in the entire world,” Hannah exclaimed.
She went on to share that her husband and her little boy James had the “strongest bond” she’d ever witnessed between a father and a son.
“In the video that you guys are all freaking out about, they’re just playing,” Hannah explained, adding that James and her husband were always playing with each other.
@hannah_bhiatt 🥹👶🏼🤍🥰 #mom#momtok#postpartum#toddler#family#trending#fyp#foryou♬ original sound – hannah_bhiatt
Hannah went on to slam comparisons with Ruby Franke, an American prisoner and former family vlogger who ran the now-defunct YouTube channel, 8 Passengers.
Ruby’s story underscores broader ethical concerns about privacy, consent, and the commodification of family life on social media.
The Utah-based former parenting influencer gained notoriety for promoting strict parenting methods to her 2.5 million subscribers.
The TikTok trend consists of seeing whether children flinch at their parents
@imjustdana Why is a toddler that age FLINTCHING at anything? This needs to be looked into. #Nurse#Hannah#BabyFlintch#husband#fyp♬ original sound – I’m Just Dana
Her channel, active from 2015 until its 2021 deactivation, faced criticism for harsh disciplinary practices, including withholding meals and isolating children as punishment.
In August 2023, Ruby and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, were arrested on child abuse charges after Ruby’s 12-year-old son escaped from Jodi’s home, appearing malnourished and bound with duct tape.
The case highlighted the potential dangers of family vlogging, as critics have argued such channels exploit children for content and normalize harmful behaviors under the guise of parenting advice.
“I feel horrible for him,” a reader commented
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What do you think ?
Nimitz 1 year ago
Yeah, no. I remember my parents beating the s**t out of me. That kid is defending himself against an abuser. They put that on camera, which means they're screening out the real abuse that takes place off camera. CPS needs to go to that house. Also, there needs to be a law banning parents from exploiting their kids for likes. They're not old enough to consent to being on video.
V 1 year ago
When I was a kid, me and me siblings and cousins really got into WWE so when we had family gatherings we would all end up wrestling, as you do. It was always fine until one of the uncles would get involved, take things too far and it would end up with the younger children screaming and crying and the older kids covered in bruises. Not even any of us flinched at our dad/uncle like that.
Load More Replies...
Ellinor 1 year ago
There is even a video on her account where Hannah and her husband are eating full plates in front of the boy who has nothing. He spend all the video trying not to cry and just looking at the food he can't eat.
Booster Booey 1 year ago
OMG, that poor baby! It seems like a lot of these parenting "influencers" are closet abusers. Or, in this case perhaps, not so closet ...
Max Fox 1 year ago
Sometimes people do overreact, but not in this case. When people overreact, there are always other people who will respond and say that they are overreacting. The sheer number of commentators saying that this is not normal and can indicate abuse was huge. Moreover, it wasn't just people opining, but a huge number of parents sent clips of their kid's response to something being shoved into their face. Most kids found it amusing. Moreover, the normal response of a toddler who is not happy with something being pushed into their face is to turn their head away, and to push the thing away with their hand. They would also focus on the thing. As others pointed out, this kid kept his eyes on his father's face, not on the box. In fact, he barely sees the box until it was pushed into his hands.
TheForrestGreene (he/they/it) 1 year ago
i spent all of 2014 with my abusive father, and i can tell that, based on my personal experience and spending about a year 1/2 watching psych2go(mostly the videos on trauma, childhood trauma, abuse, ptsd, and the signs that you might have experienced abuse), that is NOT a flinch. i can see the terror in the childs eyes, how he is covering his face in fear, and yeah i think he might be getting abused(most likely physical abuse) at home, likely by either his father, mother, maybe even both or by someone else entirely, perhaps another relative. CPS should be called, this is not a normal response from a kid that age
Nimitz 1 year ago
Yeah, no. I remember my parents beating the s**t out of me. That kid is defending himself against an abuser. They put that on camera, which means they're screening out the real abuse that takes place off camera. CPS needs to go to that house. Also, there needs to be a law banning parents from exploiting their kids for likes. They're not old enough to consent to being on video.
V 1 year ago
When I was a kid, me and me siblings and cousins really got into WWE so when we had family gatherings we would all end up wrestling, as you do. It was always fine until one of the uncles would get involved, take things too far and it would end up with the younger children screaming and crying and the older kids covered in bruises. Not even any of us flinched at our dad/uncle like that.
Load More Replies... Ellinor 1 year ago
There is even a video on her account where Hannah and her husband are eating full plates in front of the boy who has nothing. He spend all the video trying not to cry and just looking at the food he can't eat.
Booster Booey 1 year ago
OMG, that poor baby! It seems like a lot of these parenting "influencers" are closet abusers. Or, in this case perhaps, not so closet ...
Max Fox 1 year ago
Sometimes people do overreact, but not in this case. When people overreact, there are always other people who will respond and say that they are overreacting. The sheer number of commentators saying that this is not normal and can indicate abuse was huge. Moreover, it wasn't just people opining, but a huge number of parents sent clips of their kid's response to something being shoved into their face. Most kids found it amusing. Moreover, the normal response of a toddler who is not happy with something being pushed into their face is to turn their head away, and to push the thing away with their hand. They would also focus on the thing. As others pointed out, this kid kept his eyes on his father's face, not on the box. In fact, he barely sees the box until it was pushed into his hands.
TheForrestGreene (he/they/it) 1 year ago
i spent all of 2014 with my abusive father, and i can tell that, based on my personal experience and spending about a year 1/2 watching psych2go(mostly the videos on trauma, childhood trauma, abuse, ptsd, and the signs that you might have experienced abuse), that is NOT a flinch. i can see the terror in the childs eyes, how he is covering his face in fear, and yeah i think he might be getting abused(most likely physical abuse) at home, likely by either his father, mother, maybe even both or by someone else entirely, perhaps another relative. CPS should be called, this is not a normal response from a kid that age
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