Toddler Running Around On Live TV Starts Parenting Debate

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If you are a parent of young kids, you would know that going somewhere or basically anywhere with them, can turn into a bit of a madhouse.

Kids enjoy running off, and to explore their surroundings. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a public place like a grocery store or shopping mall or just someone’s house.

But what happens if you’re in a place where it’s expected that kids should behave, like a restaurant or in church?

Lucy Wronka was on ITV News with her kids George and Iris to talk about their milk allergies, along with anchor Alastair Stewart. Iris decided that she just couldn’t sit still. She started walking around Stewart’s desk before climbing on to it.

Seeing the toddler exploring the studio, Stewart said: “[She] will do whatever she chooses to do for the next couple of minutes,”  before continuing the interview with her brother, George.

George then told the news reader about his experiences while his sister scaled the heights of the news desk during the network’s lunchtime bulletin.

She then found her head creeping into shot as her mother, trying to keep a straight face, discussed the new guidelines surrounding testing babies for milk allergies. Iris finished off the segment on all fours over Stewart’s papers, when he jokingly said: “Mary Nightingale, I think, will have a more peaceful time at 6.30. From all of us, a very good afternoon to you.”

The video is rather hilarious, and goes to show that toddlers can’t sit still! However, the interview did prompt some social media debate on how to parent.

One Facebook user on CNN’s page commented:  “What I HATE so much, are Moms like her who won’t take CONTROL and make the child behave, they just sit and watch it happen. I wasn’t raised like that…”

Another commenter said, “Toddlers will be toddlers! Anyways not saying my daughter is not disciplined just saying once the show was already recording what can a poor mom do? There are only a couple minutes for the interview and I’m sure this toddler has never been on TV before or in this type of situation so give this mom a break! Not everyone has been on the cover of parenting magazine. Our life is short, find something else to do then bag on innocent children and The mothers who are actually active in their life.”

Another said, “Let the kids behave like kids! Who cares about discipline! It’s great that the anchor continued with his program letting little beauty enjoy a new environment.” But other people weren’t so understanding. One even called the toddler a brat!

“Didn’t anyone noticed how the anchor was being professional, polite, controlling himself not to do what the mom was supposed to be doing: control her brat! For 5 minutes! The way any preschool teacher can show you. She wasn’t only jumping around, she was jumping on the table. Interrupting not only her mom, but a professional who was trying to do his job. I can imagine her on the pediatrician, dentist, in a restaurant… Not cute. Impolite.”

Another agreed, “I don’t think cute little Iris would have been scarred for life if her mother had told her to stand still for all of 5 minutes or if she had held her to her side. I’m not saying kids should be “leashed” at all times, but it doesn’t hurt for them to be taught to respect other people, especially when they’re working.”

What do you think? Should this mom have “controlled” her daughter better?