Kamal Ghorui
The recent video posted by popular children’s YouTube educator Ms Rachel has unexpectedly triggered an array of emotional reactions and comments from other parents. In the video, Ms Rachel is seen showing off her one-year-old daughter Susie’s impressive vocabulary skills. However, the video has sparked a debate on social media, with many other parents commenting on their experiences and struggles with their children’s language skills. What started as a heartwarming moment between a mother and her little one has now turned into a debate on parenting and how many people feel like comparing their children’s milestones with other children. The viral video that caught everyone’s attentionThe recent video posted by Ms Rachel that went viral quickly features her sitting with her one-year-old daughter, Susie and asking her to say a few words. In response, her little one confidently says many different words such as “hi,” “bye,” “mama,” and “dada.” In addition, she says other cute words such as “uh-oh,” “yay,” and even says “baba,” which is her brother’s nickname. To many people’s surprise, the little one is only one year old and is able to say many different words. However, the video quickly went viral as many people shared it on their social media accounts. Many people are commenting on how cute and impressive the little girl is and how impressive her language skills are.Parents begin comparing their children’s milestonesBut little did we know that this comment section would reveal another side of the story. There were comments from various parents saying that after watching this video, they started comparing their children’s speech development with that of Susie. There were comments saying that their toddlers were still not able to speak their first words despite their efforts at home. One parent said that they were still waiting to see their toddler speak their first word, which has not happened despite being 20 months old. The parent added that they were already attending speech therapy with their toddler. There were also comments saying that despite talking to their toddler every day, their toddler has not started speaking.A surprising reaction to a wholesome momentThe reaction to this video was totally unexpected by most people since this was just a video meant to share a happy parenting experience. The reaction has opened eyes to how social media is all about milestones and achievements. As we see various children on social media doing great things, sometimes we put a little pressure on ourselves without saying a word. There were comments saying that they loved this video but at the same time were feeling sad because of their children. The video that started as a cute toddler speaking has turned out to be a reminder that parenting is not always as smooth as we think.Ms Rachel shares her own parenting experienceFollowing this, Ms. Rachel later responded to the conversation by sharing a personal experience from her life. She revealed that her elder child had a severe speech delay when young. According to Ms. Rachel, her child did not start speaking until he was around three years of age. However, she added that her child later received speech therapy and support when young. The message from Ms. Rachel was intended for parents and was meant to remind parents that all children grow at their own pace.A reminder that every child grows at their own paceThe viral video has since sparked an interesting conversation about how parents feel and deal with their children during these modern times. While some children may start speaking before others, some may take longer than others. In this regard, parents online have continued sharing their personal experiences. Some parents have continued expressing their relief after listening to Ms. Rachel’s second message. The moment is also an important reminder that all children do not grow at an identical pace. The key thing is patience and support as the child continues learning. For many parents watching the video, the conversation has since shifted from comparing their children to being reminded that all children grow at their own pace.
