August 8, 2025 at 7:35 pm

Mother Secretly Coached Her Newborn To Say “Dada” As His First Words, So When He Finally Did Her Husband Beamed With Pride

by Benjamin Cottrell

baby carriage in a nursery

Unsplash/Reddit

Parents can go to great lengths to shape their children’s early moments.

One mom had a simple, loving plan to give her husband that special honor. And she coached their newborn patiently, day after day, until it happened.

You’ll want to read on for this sweet story.

I secretly manipulated my sons first words

A couple years ago, my 2nd son was born.

Our first son’s first word was “hi,” and I really wanted our second’s first word to be “Dada.”

So she set a plan into motion.

So when my husband was at work, I’d go over to his crib and stare at him in the eye and say, “When he comes home you say ‘Dada.’ Dada. Say Dada. DaaaaaaDaaaaa. Daaaaadaaa.”

One day, all her hard work paid off.

I did this for a while until he was about 11 months old, and one day (when husband was home too), my son just said, “DADA!”

It was great.

What a moment of pure joy.

Reddit is sure to enjoy this one.

Who knew something so pure as a baby’s first words could be weaponized?

Screenshot 2025 07 09 at 12.46.08 PM Mother Secretly Coached Her Newborn To Say Dada As His First Words, So When He Finally Did Her Husband Beamed With Pride

Some babies are just overachievers.

Screenshot 2025 07 09 at 12.46.49 PM Mother Secretly Coached Her Newborn To Say Dada As His First Words, So When He Finally Did Her Husband Beamed With Pride

An infant’s first words can also be a reflection of their personality.

Screenshot 2025 07 09 at 12.47.17 PM Mother Secretly Coached Her Newborn To Say Dada As His First Words, So When He Finally Did Her Husband Beamed With Pride

Manipulating a baby can be a family affair.

Screenshot 2025 07 09 at 12.49.34 PM Mother Secretly Coached Her Newborn To Say Dada As His First Words, So When He Finally Did Her Husband Beamed With Pride

Hearing that one little word was a sweet reward for all the effort and care she took to make her husband feel special.

That day became a day both parents will always cherish.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.