Parenting is never easy, and our website name reflects that. Thank you to all the parents who have been (and continue to be) with us over the years.
No other book or manual can teach us how to be a good parent. It will be a combination of trial and error and creative problem solving. Self-help books can offer new insights and possibilities, but they are never definitive answers.
As a result, every one of us has a unique parenting style. We make do with what we have and can use in dealing with our children. However, a society puts everything in a box and labels things as “poor parenting” when they see anything that is not ideal for them.
And this is what happened to these viral parents.
Is there a viral video of terrible parenting?
Netizens chastised a couple when Jordan Driskell, the father, aired a video in which he stated that they keep their children on a leash whenever they go out. The couple has five children, all restrained by a leash.
The video was over a year old but became viral and gained more attention online. Jordan’s actions were quickly judged. Most people agree that children should not be leashed because they are not dogs. Others even commented that they shouldn’t have had so many children if they couldn’t handle five.
Putting oneself in Driskells’ shoes
Jordan shared another video on Instagram, captioning it, “come, walk a mile in my shoes.” There was another side to that tale that no one knew about, and he realized it was critical to answer all of the hate comments.
His wife Brianna gave birth to quintuplets, which explains why they have so many kids with them when they go out. It can be quite distressing to be around children of that age.
“We use a leash for our peace of mind and sanity. It also allows us to get out of the house and do fun things as a family without feeling overwhelmed,” Jordan explained.
According to her, her children are curious and love to explore their surroundings. He and his wife tried to move the cart, but it was too heavy to maneuver through the crowd. Leashes help keep children under control while walking or crowd surfing.
Creativity in problem solving
According to Dr. Deborah Gilboa, an expert in parenting and youth development, what the Driskells did was innovative problem solving. This should not be interpreted as treating children like animals.
He said the couple appeared to have a unique problem as they had five active children on the way and the best solution was to keep the children under control and pick them up. The alternative was to stay home.
However, there should be a limit to how long a leash can be used. Parents should think about other ways to control their children until the age of eight.
