Parents Struggle To Wake Toddler From Nap-so They Recruit Unexpected Helper

A toddler's post-birthday nap turned into an unexpectedly wholesome moment after his parents recruited the only family member they thought could wake him up without tears: the family dog.

Mom Dev told Newsweek of the moment her 3-year-old son, Shalom, unexpectedly fell asleep following his birthday party. She and partner Moe posted an Instagram reel to @skylars.the.limit afterwards.

The video's text overlay explains the dilemma, “We needed to wake up my three-year-old from his impromptu 4pm nap…” before adding, “The thing is…he gets mad when we wake him up.”

Instead of risking a meltdown themselves, the couple called in Shalom's golden retriever, Skylar.

Rather than bounding into the room, the dog carefully climbed onto the bed and gently licked the toddler's face in an attempt to wake him.

“It was after Shalom’s third birthday party,” mom Dev said. “We had a train-themed party, and all our family came over so afterwards he was zonked and told us he was tired and wanted to lay down, which never happens.”

The family initially let him rest, but the late-afternoon timing meant they eventually had to wake him to avoid throwing off bedtime.

“He does not like being woken up-I can't blame him,” Dev added. That was when Skylar was called into action.

“Skylar was very excited to wake up her best friend, but even she could not wake him up so decided to just lay on his bed with him,” Dev said.

While the video makes the wake-up routine look familiar, Dev said naps like this are actually rare for Shalom.

“He doesn’t really nap anymore and wakes us up in the morning, not the other way around,” the mom said.

Much of the video's appeal comes from the obvious bond between Shalom and Skylar, which Dev said is part of everyday life in their home.

“Skylar and Shalom are the cutest together,” she added.

“They play ball outside in the yard all the time, Shalom showers Skylar with hugs, kisses her before he goes to school and loves sharing his food with her and giving her treats.”

The affection goes both ways. “When he calls her name she comes running and always drops her balls and toys for him,” Dev said.

“I will often find her sleeping right outside his door at night and she greets him with her wagging tail when he comes home from school.”

Dev's clip has since gone viral, racking up more than 3 million views on Instagram.

In the comments, users were calling Skylar “the best wake-up call” and “so adorable.”

“I love how she sticks her nose through the rails,” one user wrote.

“The best alarm clock ever!” another added.

Dev said viewers strongly connected with the video.

“People loved the reel and said this is the best way to be woken up and that their parents did the same to them [and] they do the same for their teens,” she said.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 3:58 AM.