Mother, 21, is forced to defend her $8 pram hack after trolls accuse her of being a ‘bad parent’ for using it to entertain her toddler
- Single mother Tayla Hutchinson posted about a genius $8 pram hack from Kmart
- The 21-year-old folds the flexible tripod around the pram so her son is distracted
- She plays his favourite YouTube channel Super Simple Songs while shopping
- But she received criticism for the trick, with people calling it ‘bad parenting’
- So Tayla has come forward to defend herself and her son Western online
A single mother has been forced to defend herself after trolls accused her of being a ‘bad parent’ for entertaining her toddler son with a phone at the shops.
Tayla Hutchinson, 21, showcased her clever use of a $8 Smartphone Flexi Tripod from Kmart on Sunday by sharing a photo of her son Western, two, watching YouTube videos, her phone suspended from the top of his pram.
The cheap device is able to curl around his stroller keeping him ‘calm and quiet’ while she does the weekly shopping trips.
‘People have their opinions and that’s fine. I’m trying to raise a son to be kind and caring,’ the Gold Coast-based mother told FEMAIL.
Tayla Hutchinson, 21, showcased her clever use of a $8 Smartphone Flexi Tripod from Kmart on Sunday by sharing a photo of her son Western, two, watching YouTube videos, her phone suspended from the top of his pram
A single mother has been forced to defend herself after trolls accused her of being a ‘bad parent’ for entertaining her toddler son with a phone at the shops
‘So I’m trying to set a good example by being a kind person.
‘It does suck to have some things so harshly and bluntly said about your parenting when you’re just doing the best you can’.
She described the incredible device as a lifesaver for her son who has severe developmental delays and is non-verbal.
‘If you’re like me and have a child on the spectrum or one that just doesn’t settle when shopping and YouTube/your phone is the only thing that helps then this can be so handy,’ she wrote in the Kmart Mums Australia Facebook group.
Many of the commenters in the group called her a ‘genius’ for inventing the idea and thanked her for the advice
‘The legs on the tripod are completely flexible, so you can adjust it to your pram.
‘We walked around for about 30 minutes and not once did my phone fall off nor the tripod. So helpful, I can shop without rushing and without being worried that he will have a meltdown.’
Many of the commenters in the group called her a ‘genius’ for inventing the idea and thanked her for the advice.
‘I need this for Christmas shopping. I avoid technology as a go-to but I’m sure every mum has reached a point where you’re almost done but need bub to hang in there a little longer,’ one woman said.
‘You’re a goddess. I’m on my way to get one,’ another said.
But some people were less kind about the hack, calling it ‘bad parenting’ for relying on a smartphone to entertain your child and that it’s helping to raise a mobile-dependent generation
But some people were less kind about the hack, calling it ‘bad parenting’ for relying on a smartphone to entertain your child and that it’s helping to raise a mobile-dependent generation.
‘I understand that people don’t like their kids having technology that’s fine, I’m not forcing it down your throat, this is just what works for us and I wanted to share for others in the same boat,’ she said to the trolls.
Many of the nasty comments have since been deleted by the group’s moderators, but what these commenters weren’t aware of, is how difficult shopping with Western can be.
Tayla’s son, who is being assessed for autism, is prone to tantrums and can be difficult to settle because loud noises and people can frighten him.
By playing his favourite YouTube channel Super Simple Songs she is able to soothe him while she runs errands.