Why Is Your Kid Saying 'Good Boy'? The New Trend That’s Driving Teachers Nuts

Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the slang (or at least figured out how to use “rizz” in a sentence without sounding like a total dork), kids come up with something new. And right now, that something is the “Good Boy” trend — a phrase that’s popping up in classrooms, group chats, and TikToks, leaving adults everywhere wondering what the heck it means and why it kind of … gives us the ick.

So, What Is the “Good Boy” Trend?

At face value, it’s pretty simple: one kid tells another to do something — hand them a pencil, pick something up, answer a question — and when the other kid complies, they respond with an overly-dramatic “Good boy!” in the same sing-song tone you might use with a dog who just learned to sit.

Sometimes it’s “Good girl!” or sometimes it’s accompanied by a slow clap or a fake-patronizing smile. Either way, it’s not exactly praise — it’s mockery wrapped in fake sweetness. And while it started as a joke on TikTok, it’s made its way into middle school hallways and high school classrooms in a big way.

Where Did This Trend Come From?

Like most trends from this age group, it’s born from the internet. TikTok videos featuring people sarcastically praising others — including authority figures — with a smug “Good boy!” took off months ago. (Reportedly, it all started with this video where someone asks a police officer for his name and badge number, then says “Good boy!” when he gives it to them.) The point is to flip the power dynamic and act like the one giving the command has all the control.

Kids, of course, ran with it. Because what could be more fun when you’re 13 than making your friend (or even your teacher) feel like you’re the one in charge?

Why It’s Showing Up in Schools

Teachers on Reddit and TikTok are increasingly reporting that students are using the phrase in class — especially when another student follows the rules. One kid does what the teacher says, and another chimes in with, “Good boy,” dripping in sarcasm. Cue the laughter, the eye rolls, and probably a stern look from the front of the room.

And while it seems like harmless teasing, it’s not always received that way. For kids who are more sensitive or socially anxious, being called “Good boy” in front of their classmates can feel humiliating. For teachers, it disrupts the classroom and walks a fine line between sass and outright disrespect.

So, is it problematic? Not necessarily — but it can be. In some cases, the phrase carries vaguely uncomfortable connotations (you know what I mean, parents), especially if it’s repeated or used in certain tones. What starts out as a goofy trend can tiptoe into territory that’s not appropriate for school settings.

Plus, it reinforces this idea that showing respect or following directions is somehow embarrassing — and that’s definitely not the kind of message we want kids to internalize.

Reactions to the “Good Boy” Trend

In probably the best-ever example of “not everyone takes things the same way,” the reactions to this trend — from teachers, parents, and students alike — are wildly mixed.

“This trend left TikTok and is now everywhere — and students will say it for anything,” middle school teacher and content creator Philip Lindsay said on TikTok. “This one’s weird because it feels weird and it feels really condescending and disrespectful … so I don’t know what to do with it.”

“‘Good boy’ makes me wanna hurl. I have a visceral reaction to it,” said one commenter on the video.

Another popular teacher-slash-TikToker, Mr. Vương, also made a video about the “good boy” trend. “In their little fifth grade minds, they just know that if you give a request or ask somebody to do something, and they do it, you follow up with this phrase. Without any thoughts to the context of everything,” he said. “I didn’t want to make it a big deal and then blow things out of proportion. At the same time, that phrase is really demeaning and condescending.”

But for every opinion that it’s bad, there seems to be another that it’s … well, nothing. “It’s not that deep,” one comment said, while another echoed, “Not that serious!”

My own kids, in 7th, 10th, and 11th grade, respectively, all report hearing it at school on a regular basis — and there was a common thread of annoyance (“It’s literally just used to piss people off,” one of them told me).

What Should Parents Do?

If you’re hearing “Good boy!” or “Good girl!” tossed around at home or see it in your kid’s texts or TikToks, it might be worth a quick conversation. Not a lecture, not a ban — just a “Hey, I’ve noticed this trend going around. Can you tell me what you think about it?”

This gives your kid a chance to share what it means to them — and it gives you the opportunity to gently point out how something that’s funny in one context might not feel great in another.

Because at the end of the day, kids aren’t trying to be cruel. They’re just parroting what they see online, testing boundaries, and trying to make each other laugh. Our job is to help them understand the bigger picture … and maybe get them to tone it down a notch when they start sounding like a dog trainer in the middle of math class.