In the age of social media, when parents want to share the joy and love they have for their children, Facebook is the first place they usually head to to post photos. But what happens when the photo of your child becomes a meme, and people post nasty and hurtful comments about your child? One mother knows that scenario all too well.
Kyra Pringle is the mother of 2-year-old Mariah. Mariah suffers from chromosome 2 duplication syndrome, which causes impairments to her motor functions and development. Last week, as part of Mariah’s birthday celebration, Pringle posted a photo of her daughter on Facebook. That innocent photo became the target of mean memes directed at Mariah’s appearance.
In an interview with CountOn2, Pringle said she is angered by the treatment her daughter has been receiving online.
“The smile that you guys think is funny or the smile that you guys are comparing to a leprechaun,” said Pringle, “the things you guys are saying about my child, she’s not a monster; she’s real.”
Mariah’s father, David Anderson, just hopes the meme moves on and passes quickly so it can stop upsetting his family. “People are going to do what they are going to do,” said Anderson. “The only thing that’s bothering me is what’s bothering my family.”
In the world of social media, memes are formed every day, and children are sometimes unfairly targeted.
One thing parents can do to protect their children is make sure they know with whom they’re sharing photos on Facebook and Instagram. More than likely, someone on Pringle’s Facebook page was the culprit when it came to making the meme. Also, the only surefire way to protect your children from the Internet is not to post photos of them at all. Not everyone on Facebook is a friend.
Mariah doesn’t know she’s being laughed at and ridiculed about something over which she has no control, but her family hopes that even though her life expectancy is short, they can provide her with joy and love.