ICU worker shares five things she'll never let her children do after working in pediatric care

In today’s fast-paced world where trends come and go, advice seems to appear from every corner. However, a TikTok post from Victoria (@victoriakandcrew) stands out, offering a sober perspective on parenting from someone who has seen the worst in a pediatric ICU. With her experience in such a high-stakes environment, she shared five things she would never let her kids do, and the reasons behind them are as eye-opening as they are relatable.

"Number one, they will always be in the correct car seats, and they will never sit in the front seat early," Victoria shares in her TikTok video. If you've ever thought that letting a 13-year-old ride in the front seat was harmless, Victoria's experiences might make you rethink that decision. From her perspective, the consequences are far too severe to risk. "I see people all the time put like 13-year-olds in the front seat and they don't have the bone structure for it," she says in the video. "If they had seen what I saw, which is kids internally decapitated, they probably wouldn't do that," she explains.

When you think of household hazards, button batteries might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But according to Victoria, they should be. "No toys will have button batteries in my home. You should treat button batteries like you would a gun. They should be locked up," she emphasizes. Victoria’s take is simple: if you don’t absolutely need them, don’t have them. And if you do, make sure they’re locked away. 

Summertime, pool parties with kids running around are the picture of carefree fun. But Victoria’s experience has taught her that this picture-perfect scenario can turn into a nightmare in seconds. "I'll never let my kids just run around at a pool party unattended," she insists. Her reasoning? "More drownings happen when there's a big group of people, cause people always assume that someone else is watching them. They're not. They're socializing," she says. Victoria suggests keeping an eye on your kids when they’re near water, no matter how many people are around. 

Sleepovers are a rite of passage for many kids, but for Victoria, they come with too many risks. "We just don’t do sleepovers," she states. While she allows her children to stay late at a friend’s house, she’s firm on picking them up before bedtime. "I've seen horror things that would keep you up at night," she shares. Sleepovers might seem innocent, but Victoria’s experiences have shown her that you can never be too careful. She’s not against fun—just against unnecessary risks. 

In today’s digital age, privacy is a hot topic, especially when it comes to teenagers. But Victoria takes a firm stance: "My kids don’t get full privacy," she declares. "This isn’t about invading their personal space, it’s about guiding them through a world they might not yet fully understand. I'm gonna go through your phone. I wanna know everything about your friends," she explains. Until they’re mature enough to make sound decisions, she believes it’s her job to keep an eye on what’s going on in their lives, "I'm gonna know what's going on. So I can help guide you and protect you," she adds.

People have shown strong support for Victoria by agreeing with what she said. "Sleepovers were a no in my home. My daughter hated me for it but I slept soundly knowing she was safe," said @valentine21379. "My dad never went through my phone as a teen because he wanted to 'respect my privacy.' I wish he would have. It would've saved me from a lot of things I shouldn't have been involved in that young," wrote @hayleeguy1226. "After working in pediatric orthopedics, my son has been deprived of trampolines/trampoline parks, ATVs and hoverboards. Some of these cause lifelong injuries and I can’t do it." added @stephabee30.

You can follow Victoria (@victoriakandcrew) on TikTok for more parenting content.