December 15th 2024.
Claire's lighthearted video of her daughter, Olive, caused an unexpected uproar on social media. As she scrolled through the comments on her Instagram post, Claire couldn't believe what she was reading. People were calling her a monster and a horrible parent, and she couldn't believe the harshness of their words. She had simply shared a 40-second clip of Olive discovering some of her old artwork in the bin, and telling her mom that it wasn't rubbish. Claire had thought it would be a relatable and humorous post for other parents, but she never expected such a negative response.
Despite receiving thousands of likes from fellow parents, over a thousand people had also flooded her comments with judgement and criticism. The backlash was so strong that Claire had to block people and eventually turn off the comments section. She couldn't understand why people felt the need to pass judgement on her parenting without knowing the full story. As a travel blogger who runs women-only tours with her twin sister, Claire knows all too well the scrutiny and criticism that comes with being a mother in the public eye.
Being a mother herself, Claire understands the struggles and doubts that come with the role. She had personally experienced postnatal depression after Olive's birth and knows how comments like these could have a major impact on a new mother's mental health. She worries for other mothers who may receive similar abuse online and how it could affect them. Despite knowing that she is a good mom, Claire admits that she still has to work hard to manage her thoughts and not let hurtful comments get to her.
However, she firmly believes that mothers should not have to stop sharing content about their children online because of the fear of criticism. Women should be able to share things that they enjoy without the fear of being attacked. The issue lies with the people who can't control their words and resort to hurtful comments. Claire also points out the double standards that exist, where a man posting the same video wouldn't receive the same backlash. She has experienced this in her travel content as well, where people have criticized her for being away from her children, but if it were a father, no one would bat an eye.
And for those wondering, Claire wants to clarify that she doesn't throw away all of Olive's artwork. In fact, their house is filled with her daughter's drawings and paintings, with a few special pieces proudly displayed on the fridge. The artwork that was thrown away in the video was actually from an old bag that Claire found while redecorating Olive's room. Unfortunately, the contents had gone mouldy, and Claire had to throw them away. It was a simple mistake, but Olive's reaction was what made the video so entertaining.
Claire wants other parents to know that they are not alone in this situation. Any parent with a creative toddler can relate to the struggle of managing their child's endless supply of artwork. And while she may have made a mistake by throwing them in the bin, Olive quickly moved on and forgot about them. In the end, Claire's only regret is that Olive found them in the bin. This incident has reminded her that as parents, we are all doing our best, and we shouldn't let the opinions of others bring us down.
This article was originally published on March 4, 2024, and Claire wants to remind others that it's important to share our stories and support each other as parents. If you have a story to share, please email us. Let's continue to lift each other up and celebrate the joys and challenges of parenting.
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