Packing suitcases for the whole family ahead of a trip is challenging enough, but getting young children dressed and out the door can be its own ordeal. One mother learned this the hard way after letting her three‑year‑old choose her own footwear for a long car journey.
Amanda Gouveia, from Virginia, told Newsweek that she thought she had covered everything before the family set off. But it wasn’t until they stopped at a service station that she realized something had gone amusingly wrong.
A text overlay on the now‑viral Instagram clip explains that she asked her daughter Avery “if she had shoes before we travelled across the state and she said yes.” What Gouveia didn’t expect was that her toddler’s definition of shoes meant plastic princess heels.
The 37‑year‑old mom told Newsweek. “She’s a strong-willed toddler who has been confident in her choices and actions since she could make them so we all had a good laugh.”
Gouveia shared a video (@amanda.goov), of her older daughters—Finley, eight, and Logan, six—standing at a gas station wearing pajamas and comfy boots. Behind them, Avery, also in her sleepwear, can be seen tip‑toeing in her tiny dress‑up heels.
The adorable moment has since earned 15 million views and over 417,000 likes.
“I packed everyone’s suitcases so she has several pairs of appropriate shoes in her bag but those were the shoes she grabbed to get in the car,” Gouveia told Newsweek, adding that the girls always wear their jammies for long road trips so they are comfortable while they sleep.
Avery may have skipped appropriate footwear for the trip, but she’s still right on track developmentally. According to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, most children can put on their own shoes by age three—though not always on the correct feet—and by five, they’re typically able to lace their shoes and dress independently.
She said: “We realized what she packed when we stopped for a toilet break during our road trip.
“We were loaded down so there was no way we were getting to her suitcase without a ton of time and effort so in she went to potty in her princess shoes.
“She got so many giggles, high fives, and ‘she’s too cute’ comments.”
Avery’s bold choice of road‑trip footwear amused thousands online.
“This is the only time in her life where this outfit is acceptable,” one viewer commented.
Another added, with no sympathy: “That’s what you get for trusting a 3 year old.”
A third mother shared: “I let my daughter pack for herself once when she was 5 and then I forgot to check it before we left. Swimsuits and [stuffed toys]. That’s. It. [I] didn’t make that mistake again.”
In the end, Avery’s princess shoes didn’t slow them down—they just added a little fun to the trip. It’s the kind of moment every parent knows well: unexpected, chaotic, and completely unforgettable.