DAVID BECKHAM IS CRITICIZING A DAILY MAIL ARTICLE
ABOUT HIS VERSION OF CHILD REARING.
APPARENTLY THE DAILY
MAIL HAD SOME PRETTY HARSH WORDS FOR THE BECKHAM'S, ESPECIALLY
AFTER THEY FOUND THAT THEIR FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS USING
A PACIFIER.
AS RIDICULOUS AS THIS STORY IS, IT INFURIATES ME
WHEN PEOPLE PASS JUDGMENT ON
OTHER PARENTS THAT ARENíT DOING ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY HARMS
THEIR KIDS.
IS USING A PACIFIER AT THE AGE OF FOUR RECOMMENDED?
NO.
IS IT THE END OF THE WORLD?
NO.
DOES ANYONE REALLY KNOW THE
SITUATION THAT THE BECKHAM'S ARE IN, OR THE DAY THEY WERE HAVING?
NO.
I LOVE THAT HE RESPONDED
TO THIS, BECAUSE I THINK HE IS SPEAKING TO THE EXPERIENCE OF SO
MANY PARENTS OUT THERE WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH CRITICISM, AND
OTHERS WHO TELL THEM HOW TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN.
I DON'T
EVEN HAVE KIDS AND THIS STORY FRUSTRATES ME.
" EXPERTS WARN
DAVID AND VICTORIA BECKHAM THAT THEIR GIRL MAY END UP WITH SPEECH
OR DENTAL ISSUES IF SHE CONTINUES TO USE ONE."
REFERRING
TO THE PACIFIER.
DAVID BECKHAM WAS NOT PLEASED, AND HE
RESPONDED BY SAYING, "WHY DO PEOPLE FEEL THEY HAVE THE RIGHT
TO CRITICIZE A PARENT ABOUT THEIR OWN CHILDREN
WITHOUT HAVING ANY FACTS.
EVERYBODY WHO HAS CHILDREN KNOWS
THAT WHEN THEY ARENíT DOING WELL OR HAVE A FEVER, YOU DO WHAT
COMFORTS THEM BEST, AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S A PACIFIER, SO
THOSE WHO CRITICIZE, THINK TWICE ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT OTHER
PEOPLE'S CHILDREN BECAUSE ACTUALLY YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO
CRITICIZE ME AS A PARENT."
I WANTED TO HAVE A BROADER
CONVERSATION ABOUT OVERZEALOUS PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO FEEL LIKE
IT IS THEIR PURPOSE TO PUT THEIR NOSE INTO OTHER PEOPLE'S
PARENTING HABITS.
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
IF SOMEONE IS AN
IMMINENT THREAT TO THEIR CHILDREN, OR IS IGNORING THEIR
CHILDREN, OR DOING SOMETHING UNLAWFUL, THEN YOU HAVE THE
RIGHT TO REPORT IT, THEN YOU
HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK.
BUT IF THIS CHILD IS NOT IN HARMS WAY IN ANY SHAPE OR
FORM, THEN MOVE ON WITH YOUR LIFE.
THIS WAS SOME CLICK BAIT BULLSHIT.
THEY WERE LIKE, LET'S
MAKE UP A NEWS STORY ABOUT LITTLE HARPERíS PACIFIER USE.
IT
IS SO STUPID, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS A LIGHTNING ROD FOR A
LARGER ISSUE AROUND SUPER JUDGY MEDIA, AND SOCIAL MEDIA
IN PARTICULAR, AROUND PARENTING.
THERE IS A REAL ATMOSPHERE.
A
LOT OF MOTHERS AND FATHERS, AND LEGAL GUARDIANS OUT THERE IN THE
WORLD, FEEL UNDER A HARSH SPOTLIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR
PARENTING.
ONE WRONG POST, OR ONE WRONG INTERACTION, AND
SUDDENLY THE ENTIRE WORLD IS COMING DOWN ON YOU ABOUT YOUR
DECISION.
AGAIN, IT IS ONE THING IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
WELFARE OF A CHILD, BUT WHEN IT JUST COMES TO DIFFERENT STROKES
FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS ABOUT HOW YOU RAISE YOUR CHILDREN, WHO IN
THE HELL THINKS IT'S THEIR RIGHT
TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT?
IT'S SUCH AN INTIMATE SITUATION.
IT'S NOT JUST THE DAILY MAIL.
I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF MAINSTREAM PUBLICATIONS ARE GUILTY OF
DOING THIS.
IS HELICOPTER PARENTING OKAY?
WHAT ABOUT ATTACHMENT PARENTING?
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU BREAST-FEED?
YOU'RE NOT BREAST-FEEDING AS A MOTHER?
YOU'RE A TERRIBLE MOM.
JUST GET OUT OF PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.
IT'S ONE THING WHEN YOU ARE AUGMENTING, AND ADDING TO
INFORMATION.
I THINK THAT IS GREAT, THERE ARE MOMMY AND DADDY
BLOGS OUT THERE.
PUTTING YOUR PERSPECTIVE OUT THERE IN A
NONJUDGMENTAL WAY IS IMPORTANT, AND I THINK MOST PARENTS WILL
CONNECT WITH THAT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES OUT AS A CRITICISM, OR ADMONISHING
OTHERS WHO DO NOT FOLLOW SUIT, THAT'S WHEN YOU ARE JUST LIKE,
COME ON PEOPLE.
RAISING CHILDREN HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THOUSANDS OF
YEARS, AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO HAVE THEIR UNIQUE WAY OF
DOING IT.
ALSO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PURPOSE OF A MOTHER-IN-LAW
IS, IF EVERYONE ELSE IS CRITICIZING THE WAY YOU ARE
RAISING YOUR KID.
LET THE MOTHER IN LAW DO THAT.
I LIKE THAT DAVID BECKHAM PULLED THE RED CARD ON THIS.
LITTLE HARPER IS GOING TO BE
JUST FINE.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT AT ALL.