A video capturing a baby's delighted reaction to seeing his grandma for the first time in two months has been melting hearts on TikTok.
In a clip shared to social media by the child's parents, posting under the handle adaywithcarter, an adorable tot by the name of Carter is reunited with his grandmother after some eight weeks apart.
Thankfully, as the footage shows, he instantly recognizes her, with Carter's sweet reaction to seeing her again helping the video go viral.
At the time of writing, it had been viewed over 750,000 times. It can be watched here.
There's something undeniably uplifting about the sight of a baby's smile that goes beyond the joy elicited from seeing a small child happy - particularly if you are their mother.
In a 2008 study published in the journal Pediatrics by Baylor College of Medicine, researchers found a baby's smile lights up the reward centers in their mother's brain.
Scientists asked 28 first-time mothers with babies between the ages of 5 months and 10 months to look at photos of their own infants and other kids while they were assessed using a functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner that measures blood flow in the brain.
Researchers observed how areas of the brain lit up with increased blood flow and, in particular, regions associated with reward lit up when mothers saw their own babies' faces.
The areas of the brain that lit up were associated with dopamine, suggesting that seeing your baby smile generated a "natural high."
As a close relative, it's perfectly plausible to conclude Carter's grandma likely enjoys a similar reaction—and she may not be alone.
In the video, Carter is happily daydreaming away when his dad hands him over to grandma. After a few seconds spent studying her face and hearing her voice, a big, beaming smile plays across his face.
Hearing her speak to him again after so long, Carter reaches out to touch her face and hug her back in a show of affection that had viewers feeling emotional.
Tina Greene was in awe of "that big smile he gave her," with Xaina commenting: "The way he grabbed her face was so precious."
Tygerc2 said: "He knows grandma, she loves him best. He's adorable," while MsMe81 added: "The way he hugged you back was precious."
Tiny.lasha commented: "He really loves his grandma," with meldonnell7 blown over by "how he lit up when she spoke"
D.Ayeway joked: "Can I have grandma and the baby?" while BlingyGyalTings declared: "He looks just like her!"
Newsweek has contacted adaywithcarter for comment.
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.
About the writer
Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on ... Read more
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