David Beckham has bit back at criticism that he lets his four-year-old daughter Harper use a dummy
It has sparked a debate about parenting skills and the use of dummies by young children.
The former England footballer was outraged when an article was published showing him and his daughter which questioned why she was using a dummy.
The father of four took to Instagram in response asking why people were giving their opinion on his parenting skills.
He wrote: “Why do people feel they have the right to criticise a parent about their own children without having any facts??
“Everybody who has children knows that when they aren’t feeling well or have a fever you do what comforts them best and most of the time it’s a pacifier so those who criticise think twice about what you say about other people’s children because actually you have no right to criticise me as a parent…(sic)”
Beckham was pictured with his adorable toddler and eldest child Brooklyn, 16, when the trio went out for lunch in West Hollywood over the weekend.
The article in the Daily Mail has suggested that Harper could develop “speech or dental issues” later in life.
It read: ‘At four years old, Harper Beckham is well beyond the age that most health experts would advise giving a child a dummy.
‘Last night parenting experts said that David, 40, and Victoria Beckham, 41, risked stunting their daughter’s speech and were putting her teeth at risk of damage by letting her continue to use one.’
The international superstar is married to former pop star and fashion designer Victoria, who is yet to comment on the issue.
However, his Instagram post was liked over 170,000 times within 30 minutes as many followers agreed with his view, sparking a debate on pacifiers.
Many parents have been using dummies for centuries.
As the names suggest, parents use them to calm and settle babies and, sometimes, toddlers too.
For more information on how to calm your baby visit: www.nhs.co.uk
