Mandy Teefey has addressed criticism over an Instagram caption in which she joked that her daughters sometimes “throw me in the trash.”
The comment appeared in a heartfelt post shared on Sunday, where Teefey paid tribute to Selena Gomez, 33, and Gracie. While many followers took the message as affectionate and playful, one person accused her of stirring up unnecessary drama online.
Teefey responded directly, brushing off the criticism and referencing one of Selena’s best-known songs as she told the commenter to relax.
In the post, Teefey — who became a mother at 16 — uploaded several photos of her daughters, including a mirror selfie of the two of them together. The tribute also came amid continued attention on Selena’s personal life, after the singer and actress married music producer Benny Blanco in September 2025 and have since shared occasional glimpses of newlywed life on social media.
“My greatest accomplishments, love me or not,” she wrote. “They are the coolest. I one day they will see what a bad ass I am and love me back as much as I love them.
“I’m just mom. Who never gives up when they throw me in the trash,” she continued in the lengthy caption. “I tell ya mom you’re doing it wrong, maybe so, we will see. But no matter what I got your back.”
Most of the replies were supportive, but one comment took issue with the wording.
“WTF, Mandy. If you’re having issues with them, you shouldn’t post this on social media.
“People will take it out of context and keep hating on Selena. I don’t know what’s going on, but go talk to your daughter instead of creating drama.”
Teefey quickly pushed back, making it clear she considered the line a joke.
“Girl. It’s typically moms not cool joke. Calm down. lol,” she responded.
The photo carousel also included a series of memes and quote graphics.
One read: “She outgrew what drained her,” while another featured a Barbie doll sitting in a trash can with the caption: “Me when I have to run the business I manifested.”
Selena has not publicly commented on her mother’s post. In recent weeks, though, she has continued sharing affectionate moments with her husband, Benny Blanco, including posts celebrating their relationship and time apart while traveling.
The pair married in September 2025, and their social media posts suggest they are still enjoying married life.
Just four weeks ago, the former Disney Channel star shared a sweet photo with Blanco and wrote: “distance means so little when someone means so much…. @itsbennyblanco mish you bb.”