We all make a nearly endless array of decisions about what types of content we allow our kids to watch, listen to, and engage with.
We all also know that every other parent is doing the same and that every parent sets different limits. However, if you’re parenting in public — whether that means sharing on social media, existing as a public figure, or in this case, both — sometimes other folks will decide that it’s their job to determine what limits you should have set and to pass judgment.
That’s where actress Jenna Dewan is right now, as her Instagram audience piles on the criticism.
The 11-Year-Old Enjoyed A Musical Performance With Her Mom
Most of our 11-year-old kids would get pretty excited to have the opportunity to go to a performance by a singer who they also knew as a Disney star.
Dewan’s daughter, Everly, seemed to be having a blast in some photos and video clips shared on Instagram. She and her mom are dancing, her smile is shining as bright as the glitter on her face, and when you look the photos, you just see a happy child.
Not everyone sees it that way, though. A lot of Dewan’s Instagram audience sees, instead, a case of bad parenting, and they’re piling on to tell her so.
Dewan, like most public figures, moms, and divorcees, is no stranger to public criticism for her choices. She’s previously been slammed by folks who didn’t like her actions when it came to ending her marriage with Channing Tatum, and when she shared breastfeeding photos.
Still, at some point, she seems to have deleted all the comments on that post.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Performance Includes A Controversial Moment
Dewan and her daughter went to see Sabrina Carpenter, who is known for, among other things, a particular action during her song Juno.
Carpenter feigns an intimate act on her microphone during the song, and it’s such a standard part of the performance that those familiar with the song know to expect it. That’s why Dewan covered her daughter’s eyes briefly, taking a short video clip and posting it on Instagram with the text:
pov: you take your preteen to the Sabrina Carpenter concert and it’s THAT part of the show
There’s nothing shocking about the video itself. The preteen’s tolerant smile is visible as her mom covers her eyes, and honestly, it’s impossible to say from the few seconds we see whether this is a joke between the two or whether Dewan is genuinely concerned about what her child might witness on stage.
She followed this video up with a second post, which includes three still shots and a video, all in which the pair seem to be bonding joyfully.
Strangers On The Internet Saw It Entirely Differently
People quickly chimed in to let the actress know they did not approve.
Some didn’t think the 11-year-old should be at a Sabrina Carpenter concert. Others pointed out that even if her eyes were covered during the event, Everly could easily use the internet later to find out what she’d missed. Still, others argued that if she were a fan, she’d probably already seen Carpenter perform the gesture in music videos.
Critics generally felt that taking the child to the concert or perhaps even letting her listen to Carpenter’s music at all exposed her to inappropriate content or behavior, regardless of whether her eyes were covered.
(And then there were a few more bizarre complaints, like the person who apparently opposed concerts in general because they feel that music is for listening, not watching.)
The Actress Did Not Engage With Her Fault-Finders
Instead of responding to the nastier comments, Dewan seems to have dealt with the issue by deleting all the comments.
As of this writing, the video—which previously received a flood of feedback, some of which was even positive—has zero comments and just 82k+ likes.
Some similar criticism remains visible, though, on her Facebook post of the same video clip. One commenter says:
“If you have to cover their eyes then they do not need to be there. This is so stupid”
Another chimes in to add:
“She doesn’t sing preteen songs. Why is she even there??”
The comments on her second Instagram post were more positive, with people chiming in to tell Dewan they like her character on The Rookie, that she’s a good mom, and that fans are happy mom and daughter both had a good time. As of this writing, those remain visible.
Celebrity Or Not, All Moms Deserve Support & Grace
Every parent makes so many decisions for their kids’ safety every day. We’re all bound to have made some choices we’re proud of, some we regret, and some we are iffy about in retrospect.
However, taking your kid to a concert is pretty harmless, and as long as parents make these choices with their kids’ best interests in mind, attacks and hate aren’t warranted. When we see a happy, healthy kid doing safe, fun things together with a loving and attentive parent, it’s probably okay to remember when we were little, and our moms taught us that if we couldn’t say anything nice, we should just smile and let others be.
Dewan’s life won’t change because of people’s criticism. She’s clearly a caring parent and isn’t going to second-guess her decision to take her child to an exciting event because strangers on the internet had feelings about it.
However, other moms watching these comment sections might also feel that judgment, and honestly, parenting is hard enough without that.
Let’s all try extending a little grace for disagreeing parenting decisions, as long as they’re not abusive or genuinely harmful.
