LaR’iyah Tucker, the adorable 4-year-old viral sensation known to fans as “Ms. Shirley,” has taken TikTok, social media, and even daytime TV by storm, garnering millions of followers with her charm and personality. But as her online fame continues to soar, some users are questioning whether the spotlight is too much for a child so young. Now, Tucker’s mother is speaking out in response to growing concerns.

If you can’t quite place the adorable toddler’s face, then you definitely will remember her dance moves to the hit song, “Boots on the Ground”. The toddler went viral, capturing hearts with her fringe boots, and pastel pink fan.

Before long, her follower count on all social media platforms soared, she appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show, made a cameo in 803Fresh’s official music video, signed on for various brand endorsements, and more. But with the bright spotlight on the toddler, controversy soon followed. Many are questioning whether or not this level of attention is healthy for the toddler. 

“When are we gonna stop exploiting our babies?” one social media user commented on TikTok.

Another replied, “This is wild that we think this is OK.”

“The number of saves on this video makes me very unsettled,” one user commented, referencing one of Ms. Shirley’s dance videos had over 200K saves.

“I ain’t never seen so many saves, is no one else concerned,” another echoed.

“Where them ABC’s , children songs and coloring books AT ….”

In addition to the comments, many people were posting videos themselves threatening to call Child Protective Services on LaR’iyah’s mother. 

@lariyah.missshirley

♬ original sound – lariyah.missshirley

Well, mom Latisha Tucker, who first started posting videos after styling her daughter’s hair, wasn’t surprised by the backlash.

She’s heard it all, from questions about LaR’iyah’s dance moves to outright accusations of exploitation. Tucker, according to USA Today, explained that, “All she is doing is being a kid like any other kid… we put on our moms’ lipstick, her dress or her wig and her heels, and that’s all it was.”

Tucker went on to say that, in terms of LaR’iyah’s money that she is getting from her influencer status, it is being put aside for future plans, like a college education, etc.

As Ms. Shirley’s online fame continues to grow, her mother’s response highlights the delicate balance between viral stardom and protecting a child’s well-being.

Photo: Ms. Shirley Instagram