Not every second-grader handles being teased with grace, but seven-year-old Emmie Droubay is not every second-grader. A video of her walking alongside her mother, Maren Droubay, 32, and calmly recounting how she responded to unkind words from girls at her new school has taken Instagram by storm, collecting 8.5 million views and becoming one of those rare moments on the internet that makes people genuinely stop and feel something good.
The Droubay family had recently relocated from Utah to the Brooklyn area of New York, and the transition had not been without its bumps. Starting over in a new city means building new friendships from scratch, and for a child Emmie’s age, that process comes with its own set of emotional hurdles. Maren explained that her daughter had encountered girls at school who said unkind things to her, including flat-out telling her they didn’t like her. It was the kind of remark that would send most adults spiraling, let alone a seven-year-old.
But Emmie’s reaction was something else entirely. Rather than firing back with her own sharp words, breaking down in tears, or retreating into herself, she stood her ground in the most disarming way possible. “My family thinks I’m a princess and that I’m really good and kind,” she told her mother during the now-viral walk. “But if you don’t think that, that’s okay, because I think that about myself and that’s who I am.” She wrapped it all up with the kind of clarity that most adults spend years in therapy trying to reach: “I know who I am and I know I’m a sweet little princess and really kind.”
Maren, for her part, was completely undone by her daughter’s words in the best possible way. “I was really impressed and moved, I cried happy tears as she told me what had happened,” she said. It was the kind of parenting moment that feels like a confirmation that something went right, that all those small, consistent efforts to build a child up had actually taken root.
Those efforts were very much intentional. Maren shared that she had been thinking about what it means to raise a daughter long before Emmie ever arrived. “Since I found out I was having a daughter, I worried about how she would navigate the world, knowing how hard it is to be a woman and to constantly compare yourself to others,” she explained. From early on, the family made a point of calling Emmie their princess and encouraging her to be, in their words, “brave and kind,” drawing inspiration from the spirit of Cinderella. “I’m so grateful those lessons and loving words have stayed with her,” Maren said.
The video was posted on March 5 and quickly took on a life of its own. Within days it had gathered more than 722,000 likes and over 10,000 comments, with viewers praising both mother and daughter in equal measure. One commenter pointed out something that struck a chord with many: “She repeats what she hears and learns from the way mom talks about herself. You are such a good mama, Maren!!” Another chimed in: “She is so smart and kind, and you are an incredible mama.” A third made an observation that was both funny and painfully honest: “I’m 32 years old. I don’t have this kind of confidence and self-awareness. Good for you.” A fourth summed it up simply: “That strong sense of confidence isn’t built overnight! Kudos to you and your little princess.”
What makes Emmie’s response so striking is not just what she said but how naturally she said it, as though she had internalized her worth so completely that defending it required no drama at all. Her mother’s worry about raising a daughter in a world full of comparison and self-doubt clearly shaped the environment Emmie grew up in, and that environment produced a child who knows, at seven years old, exactly who she is.
Children who grow up hearing consistent, specific affirmations from their caregivers have been shown to develop stronger internal self-concept, which means they are more likely to measure their worth by their own standards rather than by the reactions of peers. The age between six and eight is actually a critical window when children begin forming more stable ideas about who they are, making it one of the most impactful periods for the kind of intentional encouragement Maren described. Cinderella, the fairy tale Maren referenced when encouraging Emmie to be “brave and kind,” was originally a Charles Perrault story from 1697 before the Brothers Grimm published their own version, and Walt Disney’s 1950 animated adaptation made it one of the most recognizable princess stories in the world.
What do you think about the way Emmie handled being teased, and how are you building confidence in the children in your life? Share your thoughts in the comments.
