10
Loading video...
By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
When Courtney Joffrion’s daughter, Grey, handed her the family portrait she had drawn, the mom immediately noticed one unique inclusion.
"It was us…with butts," Joffrion told Newsweek. "Very on-brand for Grey. I was honestly more focused on why my butt was facing a different direction than everyone else’s, and the large ball on my head, which she explained was a bun."
That was only the beginning, though.
Read More on Family & Parenting
Joffrion lives with her husband Ginge, and their two kids, Grey and her older brother Trace, in Long Island, where they moved in 2024 to be closer to family. Throughout that time, Grey has really gotten into drawing.
"Grey has been cranking out works of art on the regular since she could hold a crayon," Joffrion said. "There wasn’t anything specific that prompted this particular family portrait. When she first presented it to us, it didn’t really throw me off."
Joffrion stuck the picture up on the fridge, eager to show pride in her daughter’s work, and carried on with her day. The Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development notes the important role family drawings play in providing insight into a child’s perception of themselves, parents, and the family's emotional dynamics.
The placement, size, and inclusion/exclusion of family members can often reflect emotional closeness, tension, or perceived roles. On first look, Grey’s portrait seemed straightforward enough. Everyone was evenly spaced and, minus the butts, everything appeared normal.
But, when Joffrion happened to glance at it the next day, she realized Grey had returned to add some "additions" to the sketch. "At first, I just stared. Then I realized that all four of us had those same additions," Joffrion said. "I turned to my husband and said, ‘OMG [oh my God]…did she add POOP???’ He confirmed that, yes, it was in fact poop."
If Grey was looking for a reaction from mom and dad, she got it there and then. "We both stood there laughing in front of the refrigerator until there were tears," Joffrion said. "The poop coming out of the butts was really just the cherry on top."
...
Eager to share their amusement, Joffrion posted the picture to her Instagram @cjoff18, to see if anyone could guess what it was that Grey had added to each and every stick figure on the page. Everyone was very confused as to what was being depicted. So Joffrion made another post to explain the whole story behind "the butts."
"I apologize for the possible offensive nature of this family portrait, but we believe art is art, and encourage our children to express themselves," she wrote alongside the post. "Also, we can’t look at it without laughing til we cry."
Those watching the video posted to Instagram were suitably amused. "Laminate this and keep it safe for eternity," one wrote. "Please save it so you can bring it out on her wedding day," another posted. A third simply asked: "I’m gonna need to know why you are pooping up?"
Joffrion found the response to the video "pretty heartwarming." She wrote: "Sometimes, all it takes to bring a bunch of internet strangers together is the magic of a 5-year-old’s drawing…of her happy little family with poop coming out of their butts," she said.
Joffrion is also pleased to report that the picture has been taken off the fridge and is being framed and put on a wall, "where it will hang proudly until it’s eventually wrapped up as Grey’s wedding gift."
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines