A preschooler who took his opportunity to shine during his very first picture day has gone viral.
On the morning of the big day, Vially Dorestant was prepping her son Corey to ensure he didn't feel nervous or overwhelmed in front of the camera. Little did she know, she needn't have worried.
In a video posted on their family Instagram account @thedorestantfamily (their TikTok handle is the same), Corey demonstrates how he's going to smile for his photograph at the new school. Flashing an adorable grin, Dorestant was sure he was ready.
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"I asked Corey how he was going to smile because he tends to get shy and freeze up around others. Since this was his first picture day at a new school, I wanted to ensure he felt comfortable and confident," Dorestant, based in Florida, told Newsweek.
However, Corey's actual picture day pose was far from the shy, sweet smile his mom had anticipated. In the clip, Corey is posing in his school picture with his left hand casually tucked in his pocket and his right hand resting under his chin—catching Dorestant completely off guard.
"When I first saw the picture, I was in shock and just stared at it for about five minutes; I couldn't believe what I was seeing," she told Newsweek. But after it had sunk in, Dorestant found the whole thing hilarious.
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"I felt so proud of Corey for overcoming his nerves and allowing his true personality to shine through. As a mother, all I want is for him to remain authentic, no matter what challenges he faces," she told Newsweek.
Dorestant's clip has gained over 18 million views and over 25,000 comments, with many surprised by the result.
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"Nothing could've prepared me for the ending," one user wrote, while another commented that it was the "best case scenario."
"Definitely make this a poster size for his graduation party," one Instagram user suggested.
For Dorestant, Corey's first picture day served as a valuable lesson. "As parents, we often feel the need to shield our kids and prepare them for the world, which can make us anxious about their readiness, but we need to trust in their abilities and give them the space to shine on their own," she told Newsweek.
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