On one hand, parenting a toddler is like wrangling a tornado—it’s loud, messy, prone to destruction and totally unpredictable. On the other hand, toddlers are tiny beacons of non-stop, hilarious, heart-squishing adorableness that make you wish you had a camera on them 24/7.
But what if the toddler was the one behind the camera? What would we see through their eyes?
Mom Ally Dore gave us an inside peek at a 2-year-old’s perspective when she handed her daughter her phone and told her to take pictures of things that she loves. The results were adorable, of course, but also surprisingly moving.
Seeing the world through a child’s eyes is so simple and so wonderful. Her first beloved things of note were her parents, shortly followed by a half-eaten chicken nugget. Sounds about right. She took a photo of her favorite movies and shows, her xylophone, her foot in a sandal (Does she love the foot or the sandal or both?) and a bunch of other family members.
Then finally, a selfie that put some folks straight into their feelings. Watch:
Many adults struggle to love themselves—not in a narcissistic way, but in a healthy self-worth kind of way. The simple boldness of this little one taking a photo of herself in a collection of things she loves is just lovely. She has not yet experienced the world telling her in a million ways she’s not worthy. She hasn’t been taught or trained or conditioned to think of herself as unlovable, and it’s refreshing to see.
“I absolutely love that she took a picture of herself! Well done little one!” wrote one commenter.
“[I don’t know] why but that made me tear up 🥹🥹 I just hope that cutie loves herself like that forever (which people tend to forget as they grow) 🥹,” shared another.
“Never let her stop loving herself… Including her foot 😂,” wrote another.
People loved that she included the chicken nugget—because of course—and were impressed with her photography skills. One person also pointed out that this exercise is a great way to get to know your kids better (perhaps especially kids who aren’t particularly verbal).
It’s beautiful to see the world through a young child’s eyes, and if nothing else, it’s a good reminder to maintain our sense of wonder and appreciation for the small joys in life.