As a parent, it can be difficult to relate to your child's interests and hobbies.
But even if you don't "get" how they spend their time, it's important to show your kids that you love and support them.
So thankfully when one mom didn't show any love for her daughter's art project, social media gave her the encouragement she needed.
Emely Cifuentes shared her younger sister Marley's handiwork on Twitter, showing off a pair of shoes Marley had custom painted for her.
"I asked my little sister if she could paint my shoes," Emely explained, "because she wants to be an artist."
But the quirky footwear came with a heartbreaking note:
Dear Emy, I'm sorry if you don't like them I tried my best. Mom said she didn't like them and that broke my heart. I don't need you to break it more. Now that I see it I agree with her you shouldn't have let me do that. I'm soo [sic] sorry, [Marley].
"I'm literally crying," Emely added, "because I love [the shoes] so much and it sucks how much your parents affect [you] when they're not supportive."
Fans showed off the shoes they painted in tribute to Marley's work:
Emely's post went viral, and it was quickly flooded by supportive strangers who complimented Marley's art. Some even asked if she would give their shoes a makeover.
One fan even compared Marley's square design to famous painter Alfred Jensen's works - pointing out that her "ugly" art looks just like his masterpieces.
But the most heartwarming reply came from Vans, the shoe company that makes the sneakers Marley decorated. They said her design was "the coolest Vans we've seen."
well tell Marley we think these are the coolest Vans we've seen - they put the custom Warped Tour vans we are designing to shame https://t.co/E6NRggfhNE
— Vans Warped Tour (@VansWarpedTour) February 18, 2018
After getting so many kudos on social media, Marley's sister shared an update thanking the kind strangers for all their support. In a photo of Marley smiling and holding up her latest design, she shared a much happier note with her new fans:
Dear nice people, I am so blessed that there was more than [3,000] comments. My friends are sooo blown away. [By the way] I am 10 years old. If I could paint all your shoes I would. And if I would meet all of you I would. But, here are 3 facts about me. I LOVE drawing as you can see. I LOVE art. I also LOVE all of you!
It's nice to know that the love and support of so many strangers turned Marley's frown upside down.
Marley's mother also cleared the air about calling the shoes "ugly" in the first place: she was only upset because she thought her daughter had painted the shoes without her sister's permission.
[H/T: Global News]
