When Is The Best Time To Go "Team Green?" TikTok Has Opinions

As a type-A Capricorn, I am absolutely fascinated by “Team Green” parents who opt not to find out the sex of their baby until birth. I envy their patience and willingness to delay gratification and specific planning (and, more importantly, overthinking).

Most people I know personally who decided to be surprised on their little one’s birthday did so with their second or third baby, but TikTok user Jo Johnson (@jojohnsonoverby) has a parenting hot take to consider...

“If you want to do Team Green in one of your pregnancies, I think you should choose your first one,” she says. “You can choose all of them, obviously, but if you know for sure you want to experience it once, I think you should choose your first one: I think it is the superior choice.”

Why is that? Johnson has two main reasons.

For one, “People don’t ask you as many questions.”

Currently pregnant with her third, the first child she found out the sex for and the barrage of questions this time around is shocking. “I can’t believe how invasive the questions are!” A child of an unknown sex, however, doesn’t get people asking such specific questions, apparently.

Another great reason, Johnson says, is logistical. In brief, gifts tend to be more practical and direct from your registry.

“When you [go Team Green] with your first pregnancy and all of your gifting from friends and family and all those really supportive things that you get can apply to any child in the future, you’re so much more set up!” she says.

Johnson doesn’t think anyone should opt for Team Green if they don’t want to. It’s not some prerequisite to a perfect birth experience, mainly because “any time you find out it’s a surprise” whether that be via early bloodwork, a gender reveal, or at birth.

So, this message “is specifically to the people who think they’re interested in being Team Green but want to wait until they’re having their second or third, already knowing what they have at home ... No. It’s not the way to do it. Number One is the way to do Team Green.”

In the comments, everyone concluded that there’s no wrong way to approach finding out the sex of your baby or approaching Team Green: it’s all about preference. Commenters were happy to share their Team Green experiences, including some funny anecdotes and additional ideas.

“We are considering making everyone else be Team Green,” one writes, “but we know the gender for our first kid when that day comes.”

Frankly, this is diabolical in the best and most wholesome way and I am here for it.

“For real, Team Green totally lets you have freedom from some intense questioning about a lot of aspects of the kiddos life,” another observes. “We found out with our first 2 we knew but this last one has been a secret.”

“I don't disagree with any of these points but, being Team Green for #3 adds a layer of fun and excitement to the third pregnancy,” says a third and, honestly, we get this too. Because every baby you choose to bring into this world is a little blessing... but every pregnancy is not so why not throw in the whimsy where you can, especially your third time around.

But then there’s our favorite Team Green fail story...

“I was team green the first time!” one commenter begins. “It wasn’t that exciting. No one said ‘It’s a boy’ or ‘It’s a girl!’ I had to ask. My mom yells ‘A BOY!’ ... Doctor made a face and shook his head no.”

Classic. It just goes to show that whatever you do, and however it turns out, there really is no right choice, just a whole lot of great options.