A video of a spontaneous cold sea plunge has shown viewers the value of making memories—and knowing when you’re making them.
The video, posted by Emily Coxhead (@emilyrosecoxhead), shows her running into the sea as her husband films from behind the camera. “When your husband dares you to go in the sea after a ten-hour car journey with an eight-month-old,” she captioned the video. Her husband later followed suit, taking the plunge himself. The video has already received nearly 44,000 likes on TikTok.
“You think about the fact that one day your little boy might do the exact same thing when he’s all grown up,” she said in the caption. “And laugh as much as we did.”
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The video is being celebrated for its simplicity, sweetness and poignant reflections on making memories in early parenthood. During the video, viewers can hear Emily’s husband whispering: “What a beautiful woman,” as he watches her.
“It’s so … incredibly cute,” @_sanbex_ said. “The soft whispers, the admiration, feeling the cold [of] the ocean.”
“What an absolute simple wholesome video,” @mrsfuzzybee wrote.
“The whispered encouragement!!! You can hear how much your husband adores you!! What a gorgeous video!!!” @alicerebecca. said.
Originally a dare meant for Emily, her husband was not meant to go in as well. He did though, extending the video and showing each partner’s reaction to the other’s dip.
“Inspired me, didn’t you?” he said to Emily after going in the sea.
@emilyrosecoxhead When your husband dares you to go in the sea after a 10 hour car journey with an 8 month old and you think about the fact that one day your little boy might do the exact same thing when he’s all grown up and laugh as much as we did 😂
Making—and talking—about memories is important for children
It’s no surprise that the formation of good memories is important for a child’s healthy development. However, research has also shown that discussing and reminiscing about these memories from a young age can be particularly effective for long-term wellbeing.
A 2022 study from New Zealand’s University of Otago revealed that toddlers whose mothers had special coaching in discussing memories with their children grew into teenagers who experienced better wellbeing.
The original intervention, on which the recent research followed up, involved 115 mothers of toddlers who were assigned to either a control group or given training in “elaborative reminiscing” for a year. Later, the teenagers whose mothers had this reminiscing coaching told “more coherent stories” about milestones in their lives.
The study was the first to examine long-term benefits of “mother-child reminiscing” for young persons’ development. This type of reminiscing involves open conversations with young children about everyday events that have passed.
“We believe parents’ elaborative reminiscing helps children develop more complete, specific, and accurate memories of their experiences, providing a richer store of memories to use when forming their identities in adolescence,” project lead Professor Elaine Reese said. “Elaborative reminiscing also teaches children how to have open discussions about past feelings when they’re no longer in the heat of the moment.”
“Our study helps pave the way for future work with parents of young children to promote healthy interactions from the beginning that could have enduring benefits.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
