Mom Spells Out An Insult To Her Daughter With Food & People Defend Her Because The Toddler Can't Read
Sure, the kid can't read, but she will grow up and see the public video!
cottonbro studio / pexels Every parent knows that raising a little one, especially a toddler, isn’t always perfect smiles and laughter. A lot of times, it’s also frustration, sleepless nights, and chaos.
It can be exhausting to keep up with, especially if support from a partner or family is limited, and some parents end up looking for ways to express their feelings without taking them out on their child.
One mom, however, seems to have found a middle ground.
This mom pranked her 2-year-old daughter by spelling out an insulting message in her food.
With millions of views, and tens of thousands of comments streaming in from every corner of the web, the video quickly took the internet by storm.
Emmy Lou, a mother, primarily posts about her crafting hobbies and projects, along with her day-to-day life with her toddler, named Moonbeam.
In the video that went viral, Emmy filmed herself bringing her daughter a tray of food for a snack, complete with vegetables, fish sticks, juice, and alphabet fries spelling out a rude phrase. The daughter, oblivious, and unable to read the words, coos happily at the meal and immediately digs in.
“Is that nice?” The mom asks, and her daughter babbles an answer. Although the message in her fries says one thing, the mom’s description on the video reads another, saying: “love her really.”
Other parents were thought the prank on the child was appropriate.
To some, it is a harmless expression of frustration, perhaps after a particularly stressful day, and one that can’t hurt her child who literally cannot read the message. Others see it as a bad move, since it reflects poorly on the mom’s self control and her attitude towards her child.
One wrote: “That's kinda mean. Just because she can't read doesn't mean anything. The adult, her mom, still put that on her plate.”
Another agreed, saying: “Children deserve respect just like adults. If her mom does this to her for a few likes, it will be the same way she treats others.”
Others point out that the daughter might not be able to read the message now, but that doesn’t mean she won’t ever be able to read it. By immortalizing it online, there’s a good chance she’ll see it someday.
“Something to show her on her 21st.” And another pointed out that, due to how viral the video has gone, it might not take that long. “She might find it before then, it'll be all over [the] internet and she's likely to be reading before she's 21!”
Some, however, think the joke was just that: a joke.
One wrote: “Day made, never laughed so hard cause the struggle is real.” Another commented: “That kid is gonna grow up with the best humor.”
Many seem to think that Emmy’s expression of frustration is brilliant. It is relatively harmless, since her child isn’t able to understand the message, and it is still delivered in a snack that the child gets to enjoy.
Her mom is also very kind to her with her voice. If this is the compromise she chooses to make instead of yelling or getting aggressive with her kid when frustrated, then what’s the real harm? Sometimes you just have to laugh off the harder days however you can.
Humor can serve as stress relief, but respecting our kids both off and online should remain at the forefront
While opinions are split about the appropriateness of the prank, it's clear that finding healthy outlets for parental stress is crucial. Whether it's sharing a laugh, leaning on our support network, or simply taking a breather, we must prioritize constructive ways to navigate the inevitable ups and downs.
However, honoring our children's dignity and emotional well-being through every action we take — even a joke — should be weighed with sensitivity to how it may impact our little ones. Especially in age of social media, when sharing content featuring our children online, we should be mindful of the potential scrutiny and consequences it may bring.
By fostering an atmosphere of empathy and understanding, where both parents and children are treated with kindness, we can navigate the highs and lows of parenthood with grace. Being kind to this mama who was just blowing off steam is important and also being committed to nurturing love and respect within our own families will allow true life-long bonds with our children.
Hawthorn Martin is a news and entertainment writer living in Texas. They focus on social justice, pop culture, and human interest stories.