Celebrities
Chrissy Teigen Faces Backlash Over Family Bath Time Photo with Her Kids
Chrissy Teigen Faces Backlash Over Family Bath Time Photo with Her Kids, as she shares a photo on Instagram of herself in the bathtub with her three youngest children: Wren (18 months), Esti (2 years old), and Miles (6 years old). While celebrities often face scrutiny for their social media posts, this one sparked a heated debate, with many reactions both positive and negative.
Some commenters criticized Teigen for bathing with her children, with one remarking that they were “way too old” for such a thing. Others called the photo “weird,” and some specifically argued that bathing with her boys was “not appropriate.” A few went further, condemning the post entirely, claiming “nobody who is this old wants to bathe with their mom,” and even suggesting that “kids deserve privacy too.”
However, not everyone agrees with the backlash. For some, like myself, bathing with young children is a natural, healthy, and normal part of parenting, and I do not see anything wrong with it. I have boys aged 4 and 6, and I don’t shy away from normalizing bodily comfort. Teigen’s decision to share a bath with her kids doesn’t seem “weird” to me, nor does it seem “cringe”—it’s simply a moment of bonding and family time. Sure, I wouldn’t post such a photo online, but I can understand her choice as a form of normalizing bodies and teaching body acceptance.
That said, Chrissy Teigen Faces Backlash Over Family Bath Time Photo with Her Kids reminds us that what may seem right for one family doesn’t always align with others’ comfort levels. There’s no universal approach to such situations, and it’s important to recognize the cultural and personal differences in parenting practices.
Experts agree that these situations require understanding the developmental stages of children. According to Steve Carleton, LCSW, CAS, Chief Clinical Officer at Porch Light Health, it’s crucial to recognize that children’s comfort with nudity changes as they grow. For young children, parental nudity can be perfectly acceptable and even beneficial for body acceptance. However, by age 3 or 4, children begin to show curiosity about anatomy, signaling a shift in comfort levels.
Parents should be mindful of these signs of discomfort, which might include avoiding eye contact, asking for privacy, or expressing discomfort with nudity. Carleton notes that gender can play a role in when these shifts occur—boys may feel more uncomfortable with nudity around their moms, and girls may feel the same around their dads.
The general consensus from experts is that setting boundaries around nudity is an important step for parents. Jennifer Kelman, LCSW, recommends establishing clear boundaries around nudity by the age of 2, and stresses the importance of respecting children’s privacy. Furthermore, she notes that children aren’t able to give consent for photos shared online, which is an important consideration in the case of Teigen’s Instagram post.
Ultimately, navigating these situations involves balancing comfort, privacy, and appropriate boundaries with your child. Open, respectful conversations about anatomy and body norms can help children grow up feeling comfortable in their own skin.
