It was the photo that entertained internet users in their droves, with many expressing amused sympathy for the child who threw herself at the feet of Barack Obama on the floor of the White House.
What turned into a ‘funny’ snap and an internet meme, however, was real life for two-year-old Claudia Moser and her mother, writer Laura.
Now, for the first time since the photo went viral last May, Laura has opened up about how the image impacted on her family’s life – and the hurt associated with seeing your child turned into a meme.
In the Slate article, entitled ‘Remember the Toddler Who Threw a Tantrum in Front of the President? That Was My Kid’, Laura explains that Claudia’s actions were the result of having to wear a “dress-dress” instead of her preferred “sheet-dress” on the day.
“My lack of preparation outraged her…In her fury, she threw herself at the feet of the most famous man in the world. That same instant, Pete Souza, the chief official White House photographer, walked into the room,” writes Laura.
Thinking that ‘that was that’ after whisking her daughter away from the scene, Laura admits that she was completely unprepared for what followed.
“Suddenly, Claudia’s tantrum was splashed all over the media,” recalls Laura, who admits that she and her family were left shocked by some of the reactions to the image.
While some people branded her little girl a spoiled brat, others berated Laura over ‘the pride she took in her inability to raise a child”.
Warning of the dangers of opening your little ones up to the wrath of social media, Laura adds: “Actual living humans – in this case, my baby girl – are reduced to Grumpy Cat memes as every day the internet offers up new canvasses where other people can project their fears and loathings. For almost an entire week, my daughter provided this grist.”
Laura’s piece certainly provides food for thought in this age where social media allows for no mistakes.
