A mother’s heartfelt effort to recreate a beloved childhood memory turned unexpectedly controversial after another parent accused her of being “culturally insensitive.”

The woman, who spent two weeks handcrafting a Cabbage Patch costume for her four-year-old daughter, said she was stunned when another mom at preschool pulled her aside with the accusation. The costume, complete with a crocheted brown yarn wig and purple ribbons, was inspired by the little girl’s favorite Cabbage Patch doll — a cherished toy passed down from her mother’s own childhood in 1985.

“When my daughter said she wanted to be her doll for Halloween, my heart melted,” the mother shared. “She was so proud, spinning in the mirror and saying, ‘I look just like Baby Sarah.’”

However, at preschool that morning, the joy quickly faded. Another parent reportedly told her that the costume was “mockery” and that she should “know better,” before walking away. Caught off guard, the mother could only reassure her confused daughter that some people forget how simple and pure a child’s love can be.

To lift her daughter’s spirits, she took her out for ice cream still dressed in the costume. The response from strangers was overwhelmingly positive — people smiled, offered compliments, and one older woman even grew emotional, recalling her own granddaughter’s first Cabbage Patch doll in the early 1980s.

Since then, the little girl has proudly worn her costume several more times, including to the grocery store and to her grandmother’s house.

While the other mother has yet to speak to her again, the woman says the experience has given her perspective. “Every time I see my daughter twirling in that wig, I’m reminded that childhood doesn’t need our outrage,” she said. “It just needs space to be innocent, creative, and full of love.”