How we choose to raise our children and the lessons we decide to ingrain in them from an early age differs from parent to parent.
It’s only natural, of course. Some mothers and fathers take a more disciplined approach, for example, while others prefer to let their kids go through a try and fail cycle so that they can learn right and wrong through their own experiences.
Now, for the most part, how one chooses to style their son or daughter’s upbringing is their business, no one else’s. Yet that doesn’t stop people commenting and criticizing online every time a debate is sparked over some parental decision or another…
I remember when I was younger, doing chores was considered part and parcel of everyday life. I mean for me and my siblings, of course, not only my mother.
Doing dishes, making beds, helping to prepare food before mealtimes… the list goes on and on.
I understand times change, but in my mind getting children to help out with tasks around the house – providing there’s no danger involved – is a great way to instill values and a worth ethic that will come in handy later on.
It seems, though, that not everyone agrees. According to reports, one mother found this out the hard way a few years back after she uploaded pictures of her son and shared her method of giving him chores to do with the internet.
The mom in question, 22-year-old Nikkole Paulun, reportedly explained how she proudly put her 7-year-old son, Lyle, to work around the house, where he would help out with things like cooking and cleaning.
Nothing too dramatic, I’m sure we can all agree, but that didn’t stop online detractors from verbally attacking her and expressing concern over the potential impact on the child’s emotional well-being.
The bulk of the critics targeted the fact that the mother had shared her son’s chores online, not only potentially making other parents question themselves, but also flagging the idea that the child might not want to have his daily activities shared with a large number of strangers online.
One woman went as far as to write in the comments that Nikkole couldn’t just let her child “be your slave. Or to do the chores that you yourself don’t want to do.”
Another wrote: “So I take it you can do everything ur teaching ur son to do or are you just putting pressure on ur child?”
A third added: “Don’t get me wrong… a child should know responsibility. .. but should not be operating a stove that young.“
A fourth wrote: “Lazy mother’s are sweeping the country. It’s good to teach them while they’re young but i notice alot of these single mom’s are just raising their boy’s to be the man that they wish they always had.“
There were many who defended Nikkole in the comments, too, with her post gaining viral status after it garnered over 8,000 comments and 156,000 interactions on Facebook.
Nikkole herself insisted that she enjoys doing housework and that her son Lyle “just helps along the way & earns allowance as well.
What’s more, she added that her then-one-year-old daughter, Ellie, would be following in her elder siblings steps and doing the same thing when she was a little older.
What do you think to Nikkole’s parenting approach and the criticism she got for it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box.
TV Host Proudly Defends Māori Face Tattoo Against Online Trolls
Television presenter Oriini Kaipara, proudly wearing a traditional Māori face tattoo, responded gracefully to online trolls, reaffirming her cultural pride and identity.
Kaipara, a trailblazing 41-year-old newsreader for New Zealand’s Newshub, made history as the first person to deliver a primetime news bulletin while wearing the moko kauae, a significant cultural symbol worn by Māori women. The moko kauae, traditionally placed on the lips and chin, reflects a woman’s heritage, status, leadership, and familial connections within the Māori community, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.
Despite the praise Kaipara has received, one viewer named David expressed his displeasure through an email to Newshub. According to the Daily Mail, David’s message criticized Kaipara’s appearance, calling her moko “offensive and aggressive looking” and dismissing her use of the Māori language as “incoherent.”
Rather than ignoring the remarks, Kaipara confronted them head-on. She shared the email exchange on her Instagram story, handling the situation with grace and dignity. In her response to David, Kaipara pointed out that his complaints were based on personal preferences about appearance and corrected his misspelling of the word “moko.” She made it clear that moko kauae represents no threat, and such expressions of cultural pride do not deserve intolerance or discrimination.
“We mean no harm or ill intent,” Kaipara wrote. “Neither do we deserve to be treated with such disregard.” She added a sharp rebuke, telling David to hold off on expressing his “cultural ignorance and bias” until a time more suited to such views—“ideally the 1800s.”
Despite this negative comment, Kaipara emphasized that most responses to her are positive, and trolls like David are the exception. In an interview with the New Zealand Herald following the incident, Kaipara spoke about the importance of having more Māori advocates in prominent positions. “The fact that my existence triggers some people is testament to why we need more Māori advocates in key roles across every sector,” she said.
Kaipara’s composed response serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural pride and resilience. Her actions inspire others to embrace their identities with confidence and stand up against prejudice.
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