Ms. Rachel Teaches Her Body Shamer a Valuable Lesson and We Applaud Her

The YouTube star's message of positivity is not only spot on, it's inspiring to all of us.

Fact checked by Sarah Scott

Songs for Littles YouTube star Ms. Rachel is working on her second Master's Degree in Early Education. She's beloved by toddlers and parents around the world for her music, the way she's helped jumpstart kids' education, and her cheerful, beautiful personality. She's recently been named an ambassador for the global non-profit Save the Children. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

But this past week, one commenter on social media decided to focus on our beloved Ms. Rachel's appearance instead. In an Instagram video, Rachel Griffin Accurso can be seen working. The text over the video reads: "Finishing my second masters in education while someone comments I've gained weight and should lose weight and try to be prettier if I'm going to have a show teaching toddlers."

Accurso clapped back in the caption to the video, nicely pointing out that she has "better qualifications to teach than being thin and pretty. And that's not where my value is!" Yes, Ms. Rachel!

The concept of knowing your own value is so important. Everyone has value, not just adults, but also kids. Everyone brings something different and unique to the table, and all of those individual qualities are what make every single person special.

"[People] are valuable because they were born, not because they have any of the things people say are valuable like beauty," Accurso tells Parents. "They don't have to earn their value from others. Their value doesn't change or fade. And no one has the right to tell them what makes them valuable. Their value just is."

In addition to teaching children about speech development, language, and movement, this is another very important lesson from Ms. Rachel. It's not what you look like but who you are on the inside that is the most valuable.

But this isn't the first time she's taught lessons about kindness, inclusion, and even self-care. In March of 2023, Accurso took a bit of a social media hiatus after some hurtful messages. Much of those comments focused on her co-star Jules Hoffman, who uses they/them pronouns. They were criticizing Accurso for including Jules in her videos.

Social media is largely to blame for this unnecessary focus on the way people look. There has always been too much value placed on appearance. Before social media, it was the celebrity culture. Now it's celebrity culture plus online influencers. The emphasis on appearance and looking pretty has been amplified on apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. (Hello filters and photo editing!) It's created unfair pressure on tweens and teens, and in turn, has contributed to a mental health crisis in those age groups.

If a YouTube star who focuses all of her efforts on children and early education is targeted for these types of hurtful comments, doesn't it just show you how no one is immune to it? Women, especially, are constantly being told to make adjustments to their appearance.

Don't get me wrong. There are influencers who have a beneficial impact on society, too. Accurso is one of them. Her welcoming smile draws children in, and her positivity is inspiring. She's helped countless children with their speech development and spreads messages of diversity and inclusion. If she can continue to teach lessons about value and worth in addition to ABC's, those lessons will already be a part of those children as they grow up.

Oh and by the way—No one messes with Ms. Rachel. I didn't read through all of the more than 14,400 comments on Accurso's Instagram post, but the ones I did read were super supportive. They ranged from, "We tolerate zero Ms. Rachel slander. You’re an angel on earth!" to "Would be a shame if they got some icky sticky bubble gum stuck in their hair."

Another person thanked Accurso, recounting just how much Ms. Rachel's videos helped her daughter, who was already in speech therapy after an autism diagnosis. "And though you are certainly beautiful outside AND inside, and an absolute style icon, it wasn’t your physical appearance that made that happen," commenter @amazing.autistic.abby writes. "You are out here changing lives and I know I speak for parents around the world when I say THANK YOU."

It's stories like this one that make Ms. Rachel so special and keep her going. Certainly not the haters or the body shamers. So please, keep your comments to yourself.

Related: Blippi and Ms. Rachel: The Toddler Dream Team Collab Is Here!

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Read the original article on Parents.