Author, actor, and social media personality Jenny Molen, known for candidly sharing her family life online, is facing criticism after some followers say she crossed a line with a recent social media post.
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The photo shows Molen and her 12-year-old son Sid lying intertwined on a bed, their faces pressed together and their arms and legs wrapped around each other.
While it may have been intended as a silly and affectionate moment, Mollen did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment, but instead sparked a wave of criticism online, with some commenters questioning whether it was appropriate to share the photo publicly.
Mollen appeared to address the backlash in a series of Instagram Stories, suggesting that the reaction may be at least partially related to her recent split from actor Jason Biggs.
“Because I’m separated, because I’m not protected by the institution of marriage, it’s like all of a sudden what I’m posting has become a different kind of target, which is completely surprising. A photo of me hugging a 12-year-old is being mocked,” she said, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
Moren and Biggs announced their separation in May after 18 years of marriage. The former couple have two sons, Sid, 12, and Laszlo, 8, and said they remain committed to co-parenting their children.
“This is absolutely disgusting,” one person wrote in response to Moren’s post.
“What a weirdo. I hugged Mom and Dad a lot, but this makes me feel sick.” “This is disgusting from me, little girl.” “My son is almost 12 and he’s so attached and cuddly, little girl, this is weird??? This will be on the internet forever. “Think about what your son will think about this in a few years.” “As a mother of a boy, I’m very appalled.” “What if someone were to defend this?” What if it was the ‘comedian’s father and his 12-year-old daughter?”
But not everyone viewed the photo through the same lens. Dr. Deborah Gilboa, a family physician and parenting expert, says the controversy isn’t so much about the loving moments themselves, but the decision to make them public.
“There is nothing unhealthy or immoral about hugging, hugging, wrestling with, or physically approaching a teenager,” Gilboa told TODAY.com. “From almost any snapshot, it is impossible to know the before, after, or accompanying emotions.”
Gilboa says a single image rarely provides enough context for outsiders to accurately determine the dynamics of a parent-child relationship. A more relevant question, she argues, is what happens when intimate family moments are shared with a large audience online. While photos may reflect a loving and secure bond, posting them publicly can blur boundaries and expose your child to unwanted scrutiny.
“This is not just about how our kids look now,” Gilboa says. “It’s also about how these 15-, 20-, 25-year-olds encounter it later on, either through their own eyes or through the stories they hear from their peers.”
“It doesn’t prove anything about an unhealthy relationship; it may actually be an example of a great relationship,” she continues. “But for the sake of our children, we need to set boundaries on what we post.”
Gilboa added that the strong reaction to Moren’s photo may also stem from society’s sensitivity to the boundaries between parent and child. She said the images alone showed nothing inappropriate, but she understood why some viewers had strong reactions.
“When we are given only one relationship framework, we often fill in the missing context ourselves,” Gilboa explains.
Ultimately, she says, “you need to set boundaries on what you post for the sake of your kids.”
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