The idea of a parent smooching their little one on the lips is a topic that divides many. Although some fiercely believe that this form of affection is inappropriate for a child, others feel that it is completely innocent and up to the parents to decide. From Victoria Beckham to Hilary Duff, many moms who do kiss their children on the lips get shamed for it and these loving moms are sick of it. After witnessing the intense backlash that other parents received for showing that they kiss their young child on the lips, one mom questioned whether she should share one of her favorite own snapshots on social media. Ultimately, this mom is proud of the love it captures and isn't going to let haters stop her.
Stevie Niki is a mom of four who happens to show her affection with a kiss on the lips. The Australian mom behind the blog, My Tribe of Six knew that she was taking a chance of mommy-shamers vilifying her for posting a snapshot kissing her 7-year-old daughter but refused to let them ruin it. "One of my first thoughts were when contemplating sharing this beautiful photo of my daughter and I, was how there was a big hoo haa over a celebrity who shared a photo of them kissing their child on their lips," she captioned the sweet snapshot on Instagram. "How sad is that? that I even entertained that thought. That, that even happened. That I had to question posting this and that someone was shamed for doing the same thing?"
This experienced mom knows that no matter what parents do, there's always someone else who thinks they are an expert and is ready to stand in judgement. Lip-kissing on social media just makes her an easy target for those who want to twist something sweet into awful parenting. "It's crazy what we go through as parents, the shaming… the shaming from fellow parents," she wrote. "We are honestly damned if we do and damned if we don't."
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So yes, this photo might get some hate but Stevie isn't going to let the other peoples' assumptions make her feel ashamed of how she loves her babies. "If you cant even kiss your own child or show them affection without being slammed, then we are living in a sad world," she wrote. "I have to seriously question why or what has jaded another's mind into thinking kissing your own child is seen as inappropriate."
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Stevie is honestly annoyed that she even had to caption this photo by explaining or defending it but no matter what people take away from it, all she sees is pure love. "Anyway, I love her stinkin' guts — my little wild child … and thats the only caption this photo needed," she added.