Who is Julia Mancuso? Ski champion tosses toddler son into snow pile, Internet slams her for 'child mishandling'
US ski champion Julia Mancuso has defended a viral video of herself throwing her young son into a snow pile so much so that he disappears. Her video left many social media users divided on the act. Mancuso who had won the 2006 Winter Olympics gold medal in the giant slalom, had taken to her Instagram on November 30 to share a playful video of her and her son.
In the video, she can be seen throwing her 17-month-old son Sonny up in the air and over a mound of snow. Her son is seen smiling and enjoying himself until he landed on the snow and almost vanished. Only the top of his beanie was visible once he had fallen into the snow. Mancuso then reached in to lift Sonny out of the snow before the Instagram reel showed her carrying him afterward.
Mancuso then asks him, "Sonny, everyone wants to know how much fun you had going into the snow. You wanna go again? You wanna go again?" as her son sports a huge smile. In the caption of the Instagram reel, Mancuso had said, "I know this video makes some of you pretty nervous, but if you grow up in the snow - you know these days don’t come often so when they do you send it!"
Her post had received more than 287,000 likes as well had around 2,400 comments of which some are approving and others are disapproving. A couple of days ago, Mancuso had shared another Instagram reel where she had explained, "I’ve gotten some messages that just really don’t understand this video."
"Sonny loved it- there was zero risk of something being buried in the snow since it happened over the course of a day on our patio- we literally watched the snow fall. We practiced - then we went for it! You really don't get these conditions often and can only enjoy the fluffy softness the very next day- so yeah- I don't think it's a good idea to through your kid into any snow bank... but when it snows like this! It's game on," she had written.
Some Instagram users who supported her had written, "We used to do the same thing with our future little skiers!! No judgement here for sure." Another user had commented, "You are amazing and shouldn’t even have to explain this to the judgmental mom shaming people who have probably never even seen snow."
"People need to relax and seriously chilllll out!! You shouldn’t have to explain any of this!! We too did this with all of our kids! It’s not like you are throwing him in head first and walking away! You are right there!!!! 😂 Come on people!!" commented yet another.
There were some users who were in disagreement and had written the same. One such user shared, "This is the best example of child mishandling.." Another user had written, "I like babies who don't have their brains shaken at all." "This is abuse this isn’t okay this is showing how abuse can be portrayed as a good act but it’s not this is what’s wrong with the world i am hurt i am in pain this isn’t okay," said another.