Celeb Parents Ask Netizens: Stop Bashing Our Kids

A parent's claws tend to come out when their children are hurt or placed in danger.  And celebrities, despite their status as public figures, are no different. 

International music icon Lea Salonga took to Twitter last Sunday, March 19, to express dismay and anger about an unfortunate incident that made her 10-year-old daughter, Nicole, cry. While she did not disclose in detail what exactly happened except it involved her fans, Lea did not hold back her rage in a series of tweets she posted.   

The Voice Philippines coach said she wouldn't blame Nicole if she begins to hate the fans, and she was considering not to oblige fans anymore when they ask for photos or autographs for the sake of her daughter.

Lea reported that Nicole has been back to her "normal, bubbly self." But she made a plea for the public to respect artists' and celebrities privacy, which has become an issue lately for celebrity parents. 

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Lea hasn't been the only one who has had run-ins with fans and bashers in person or on social media. Jake Ejercito did not think twice to make a stand when someone attempted to make harsh comment about his daughter Ellie.Ellie's mom, Andi Eigenmann, too, famously clapped back at one online basher who insulted Ellie. Andi has said she tries to limit her social media posts about her daughter because of "judgemental people."

Last month, Andi Manzano's husband, GP Reyes, had to speak up against those who regularly made nasty comments on social media about his family especially of his daughter Olivia."To you losers who have nothing better to do with your lives, just unfollow. Quit the nasty comments. And maybe someday we will meet in person, and I will greet you with a warm smile... and a high five... in the face... with a chair," the businessman and dad wrote on Instagram.

Netizens also regularly bash well-known personalities who are pregnant or have given birth for seemingly no reason. If there is one we can see, it's because they are usually fans of a rival celebrity, like what recently happened to Nikka Garcia, wife of actor Patrick Garcia.   

Nikka suffered a miscarriage, which SmartParenting.com.ph reported. When we shared it on Facebook, someone whom we assume to be a fan of Jennylyn Mercado, who has a son with Patrick, made a mean comment. Nikka didn't let the commenter get away with it and told her, "I wish you never go through what we went through."   

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For Bianca Gonzalez-Intal, who had to put online bashers in their place when they called her daughter Lucia dark-skinned, explained in an interview with  Pep.ph, "[If] you don’t address them, they’ll just keep on bashing you. They’ll say what they want and make up stories about you." However, the TV host admits that it's a "lose-lose situation" whether you ignore or fight back. 

More than trying to defend the kids or being hurt, Bianca says, "Nasa-shock ako na may ganung comment about my family na negative or my child na negative. But more than getting hurt, ang initial reaction ko, naaawa ako dun sa taong nag-post ng ganun. Kasi anong pinagdadaanan mo sa buhay mo para mam-bash ka nang walang kamuwang-muwang sa buhay?" she explained.

Sometimes it's easy to think that these celebrities should be used to it by now. But, celebrities or not, everyone has their limit especially when it comes to rude or judgy comments and bashers. Remember, it's everyone's responsibility to mind their manners both in real life and online. Or just simply ask this question before you do or say or type anything, "What would it make me feel if I read this comment about my child?"

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