Mum fires back at 'judgmental old ladies' criticising daughter’s Kmart meltdown

Navigating the challenges of parenting is tough, especially in the public eye.

Model and former Miss Universe Australia Renae Ayris recently found herself in such a situation when her toddler daughter, Harper, had a tantrum during a shopping trip to Kmart.

The incident led to a scorching response from two older women who criticised Ayris' parenting, leading to a powerful response from the mum.



Like any toddler, Harper became distressed when her grandmother asked her to put away her snacks.

Ayris overheard the two older women commenting on the situation, stating that 'all children were horrible these days' because they were always glued to iPads or iPhones.


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Renae Ayris criticised the women who judged her toddler for throwing a tantrum. Source: @renaeayris/Instagram



The model was quick to defend her daughter, highlighting the lack of understanding and compassion from the women.

In a fiery social media post, Ayris called out the women for their judgmental attitude. 'How about don't judge? You couldn't see Harper, you literally know NOTHING about her,' she wrote.



She further criticised them for generalising all children as 'horrible and disgusting' and blaming technology for their behaviour.

'Do you think I or any other parent enjoys their kid having a tantrum in public!? NO, NO they don't, and it's mainly because of judgmental people like you,' she added.


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Ayris posted about the incident on social media. Source: @renaeayris/Instagram



Ayris and her fitness trainer husband, Andrew Papadopoulos, welcomed Harper Lee in December 2021.

Despite the challenges of parenting, the couple has been open about their love for their daughter.

In a separate post, Ayris shared an adorable picture of Harper's little feet, captioning it, 'I love you and your little feet so much.'



Toddler tantrums are part of child development. They're a sign of a child's frustration and inability to express their feelings adequately. It's important to remember that toddlers are still learning how to navigate their emotions, and tantrums are a part of this learning process.

As parents and grandparents know, while it can be embarrassing when a child has a tantrum in public, it's crucial to handle the situation calmly and patiently. Reacting negatively or giving in to the child's demands can reinforce the behaviour, making it more likely to occur in the future.

The Australian Parenting Website has provided some tips on how to handle children's tantrums. You can read more here.

On the other hand, it's also essential for bystanders to show understanding and empathy towards parents dealing with a child's tantrum. Criticising or judging the parent can add to their stress and make the situation more difficult.

Key Takeaways
  • Model and former Miss Universe Australia Renae Ayris has responded to criticism from two 'judgmental old ladies' after her daughter Harper had a tantrum in a Kmart store.
  • Ayris overheard the women claiming children are horrible nowadays due to the constant use of iPads or iPhones and confronted their judgement with a passionate social media post.
  • The model emphasised that no parent enjoys dealing with public tantrums and highlighted the unnecessary judgement from others, making the situation more difficult.
  • Renae Ayris and her fitness trainer husband, Andrew Papadopoulos, welcomed their daughter Harper Lee in December 2021.

What are your thoughts on this incident, members? Share your experiences in the comments below.
 
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We talking about a 2/3 year old developing brain!

Well, we know our brains deteriorate as we get older, thus we go backwards. Some can't manage their own hygiene, some become incontinent and some throw temper tantrums, some forget where they are - so if any of these happen to you - I guess you would understand that you may get smacked/punished yeah?
 
Take the Child outside in the fresh Air ,distract them, cuddle them for reassurance ,make sure their Diet is healthy ,that they are getting enough Naps each Day , check they are not unwell ,if Cognitively of Age ,Set reasonable limits and boundaries for negative behaviours, take aways priviledges rather than smacking
I take it you are a shrink or have one. What crap!!!
 
My standard when the small ones melt down.... "Are you OK mum".... then, {provided she says yes) very quietly "In days to come she/he will be a teenager & you will hear 'Mum! you're embarrassing me!'...... then you will truly know the meaning of revenge". More often than not Mum will let loose a shriek of laughter, the kid gets confused & stops yowling.
 
We need to get back to more discipline for our children instead of going along with the psychologists idea that "all toddlers throw tantrums". My child threw one tantrum in her life - right in the middle of the road. I put the shopping down, picked her up, smacked her bottom (over her nappy so she wouldn't even feel it), picked up the shopping & continued. She was so embarrassed because all the cars stopped & saw her get her bottom smacked she never did it again.

They can learn even at that age. Some time later I had my 2 nieces shopping. They were bought some lollies & told they could have one & then had to take the rest home to Grandma to put on top of the fridge until after lunch. The youngest one was about 2 y.o. & they both did as they were told with no questions asked & no tantrum about not being able to eat more.
Both of my girls have only had 1 smack each. One threw a tantrum in a shop; I asked if I could use the changing room and when I came out Lisa was quiet {turned out she an embarrassed 4-year-old} I thank the shop assistant never had any problems after that.
 
Nasty you!
I may be nasty but I don't make excuses for bad behaviour. I've got a good idea of what I say, I was a Youth Officer, Parole and Probation Officer, Foster Carer AND am still a JP at almost 82 YEARS. I also took in homeless kids and recovering addicts and am still well respected in this town.
 
I may be nasty but I don't make excuses for bad behaviour. I've got a good idea of what I say, I was a Youth Officer, Parole and Probation Officer, Foster Carer AND am still a JP at almost 82 YEARS. I also took in homeless kids and recovering addicts and am still well respected in this town.
Ummm....yes, I see clearly now! Did you have your own children?
 
I can understand a tantrum can be very trying for the parents. But how the parent reacts is what bothers me more. At a GP clinic trying to hear the receptionist from behind her Covid safe screen with a young child running up next to me and back again screaming his head off. Parents just sat there laughing at him. Receptionist said they’ve been told before to quieten their child but they do nothing.
 
Because she is a model? She is just being a Mum.
So being a model and a former Miss Universe Australia adds credence to her story? Would this be a story if an unemployed 33 year old single mother from Sydney's Western Suburbs be afforded the same "air time" if she experienced an identical situation? Would we hear boo about it!

Another "look at me....I'm famous" head on a stick!

Whom I've never heard of....
 
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Ummm....yes, I see clearly now! Did you have your own children?
why don't you read what's been written? 3kids, 5 grandkids, 2 great grandkids, 9 MISCARRIAGES, plus caring for other people's kids. Is that enough?

sorry to all the nice people who can read. I'm not the best at the moment because a new carer has given me one hell of a dose of Covid. Normally I would take it in my stride but the 1919 Spanish Flu which came from the same town in China in 1919 killed my Grandparents.
 
I don't condone the oldies saying anything, but the fact remains, children's misbehaviour in public is definitely more of an issue these days.
 
Good on you mum. Half these people don’t even have kids and are quick to put their opinion out there. I don’t think anyone has the right to judge anyone for anything. Keep up the great work on being a great mumma.
This happens daily, and if it wasn't Miss Universe it wouldn't be an issue.
 
My daughter was a brat, she was spoilt rotten by her grandmother, and would throw tantrums any time she didn't get her own way. Her brother on the other hand was an angel. And this all happened over 40 odd years ago. I think some of the older generation tend to forget that their little darlings were not that innocent.
 
So being a model and a former Miss Universe Australia adds credence to her story? Would this be a story if an unemployed 33 year old single mother from Sydney's Western Suburbs be afforded the same "air time" if she experienced an identical situation? Would we hear boo about it!

Another "look at me....I'm famous" head on a stick!

Whom I've never heard of....
This was taken from instagram. There was a topic not that long ago of exactly what might fit your description of s single mum (she may have even had a tattoo) and it was topical here. The situation is nothing to do with being famous 'head on a stick'. It's about nosey judgemental people who like to give a Mum or Dad a hard time because their 2 year old is having a tantrum in public. Nothing to do with her fame or fortune.
 
why don't you read what's been written? 3kids, 5 grandkids, 2 great grandkids, 9 MISCARRIAGES, plus caring for other people's kids. Is that enough?

sorry to all the nice people who can read. I'm not the best at the moment because a new carer has given me one hell of a dose of Covid. Normally I would take it in my stride but the 1919 Spanish Flu which came from the same town in China in 1919 killed my Grandparents.
So sorry I missed that - 30 lashes for me?
 
The child was given a snack, and then asked to put it away. I wonder if we were given a coffee or beer and then asked to put it away, how would we react.
 

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