Katie, there’s something I need to tell you and I feel like it’s best coming from me. After all, we have the same name and names are so important, aren’t they? I mean, no wonder you didn’t want to enter into a dialogue with Peaches Geldof – she has a stupid name. How could her opinions possibly be worth anything with a name like that?
So, here it is, Kate to Kate…and it pains me to say this to you, because I really am a devoted fan but you need to hear this.
Oh Katie, the problem is you keep making yourself look stupid. Your arguments have no logic or even any point and that, I’m afraid, is letting down the Kate side. It used to be that just having a posh voice meant that people thought you were intelligent, and so you could get away with appearing on live TV without a single well-formed argument in your armoury. But this is the age of social media, where people pick apart everything you say and I’m sorry to say this Katie, but some of the things you say don’t really stand up to a second hearing.
Take the end of the segment, for example. Peaches presented a study from Harvard on the detrimental effects of controlled crying and how did you counter that? By saying “Attachment Parents are crap parents”. That’s not really an answer, is it Katie? I mean I know it’s only data from an American University, and you probably have some views on just how good they are, but apparently people respect that particular one and it kind of looks like Peaches may have won the argument there.
I’m sure you could have come up with some great arguments against Attachment Parenting if you’d tried. You’re educated, aren’t you? You went to the University of Exeter, which is pretty much the Harvard of Devon. If you’d only had a fact or two at your disposal, you could have blown that young thing out of the water. But saying that Swedish children are spoilt brats with nothing to back it up…it’s a bit weak.
Listen to me Katie, I’m here to help. You’d like me. I’m middle-class, I have a posh accent and a degree, my children all have nice, middle-class names. True, I might be one of those parents who breastfeed their toddler and sleep in a bed with them, but that’s OK as long as we have the same name, right? Names are the most important thing.
I also wrap my baby in a long bit of material, which I know you deem unacceptable but I’ll find an alternative, honest Katie. Anything to make you happy. The problem is, I don’t know what. You mocked Peaches for using a pram, so that option’s out. Maybe I’ll get a 4×4 and use that to get the children around every time we need to go anywhere. I mean, I live in London and the nearest shop is 100 metres away but if it makes my parenting more acceptable in your eyes Katie, I’ll do it.
The problem is, I just can’t seem to get away from the material thing. I heard your point about how you see mothers with babies wrapped in material and although you didn’t say why this was a bad thing, I assume from your tone of voice that it was. But everything my baby wears is material based. Should I stop clothing her? Or look into plastic clothes or vacuum-sealing into her carseat? Help me Katie, I really am a loss with this one.
But on one point, I am totally hearing you. And that’s on not letting the baby rule the household. What an absurd notion, letting a toddler with no sense of reason dictate what everyone does! No, that doesn’t happen in our household. The 4-year-old is firmly in charge and we all know it. The baby has no choice at all – whatever he tells her to do, she has to do it. After all, he’s got an education behind him (7 weeks’ worth now!) so he’s the logical choice to be the decision-maker. I cannot abide people who let their toddlers choose what to have for dinner or which park to go to. That’s the 4-year-old’s job and everyone should know that!
So, help me out here Katie. Just a weeny bit of research, just one statistic here or there could make such a difference. Because I want to agree with everything you say, as a fellow Kate. I want to be behind you 100% and then some. I admire you so much. I often pick on people because of their names, or slag off arbitrary groups of mothers just because I can. Hopefully one day I’ll get the chance to be filmed having sex with someone else’s husband in a field, because that’s how much I want to be like you. I even spend hours in front of the mirror, practising my pursed-lips look, to get it Just Right. So I’m urging you to just be careful what you say in front of the cameras. We don’t want to have to kick you out of the Kate Club.
Thank you Katie, and God Bless you for your outstanding contribution to society.
Brilliant!
Amen.
Nailed it
Fantastic read!
Perfect.
well you just made yourself look almost as intellectual as the other Kate well done with that one, oh and that’s sarcasm, just so as you know !!
I don’t think I’ve ever pretended to be intellectual…but I hope I’d do some research if I was going to sound off about something on national TV.
But maybe I wouldn’t. Who knows?
Hat off to you ‘Kate’~~Fab x
Leigh, if you are going to have a go at Kate for writing the article, then please make sure your grammar is correct. Otherwise, you make yourself look ‘almost as intellectual as the other Kate well done with that one,’ Oh and capital letters at the start of a sentence. 😉
I suggest if you judge some one on their grammar you first change you name to Kate …. She pointed out her comment was sarcasm and most of all the article was written to show the ignorance of judging anybody!
Nicely put, and thanks for sharing! I’m not a parent, so I’m not qualified to comment on anyone’s parenting style, but I did think attahcment parenting sounded a bit mad the first time I heard of it. Then I saw how well it worked for so many friends and their well-adjusted, happy, loved, polite, articulate and socially-adept children. My 7 nephews and neices were all brought up without attachment parenting and, you know what, they’ve all turned out pretty awesome, too. They’re ahead in their classes, happy, well-mannered and socially-comfortable. Shock horror – 2 of those were brought up by lone parents. How can this be? Aren’t all single mothers feckless and incapable?
This reminds me that there’s more than 1 way to make things work, and people manage perfectly well without someone who knows nothing about them being rude and unpleasant at them for no good purpose other than so their fragile sense of self-worth is somehow bolstered through making themselves feel superior.
Remind me again why we give that woman (not you, Katie, that dreadful Hopkins woman) airtime? What does she contribute to the life of the Nation? Forgive me if I’m unsufficiently middle-class to appreciate the nuances, but all it sounds like to be is the TV-AM equivalent of a woman making ugly gossip about others over the laundry line, and it has a similar intellectual value.
She’s on TV because she’s a freak show. That’s why people watch her – it’s some sort of sadistic schadenfreude – because when we developed as a society beyond rolling up to see the freaks, we needed something more politically correct to replace it, so we put mildly deranged people like this unfortunate lady on the air next to the X Factor and feel morally justified. I just hope that Ms Hopkins understands why she has a space on the airwaves, but I strongly suspect that the joke is, somewhat depressingly, on her.
You’re totally right. In all seriousness, I worry about her mental health – she comes across as slightly deranged.
Re parenting, I’ve done things very differently with each of my kids cause that’s just what was easiest at the time – so my son had formula alongside breastfeeding from 4months ish, he had a dummy, never slept in our bed etc…my daughter has been way more AP-ed cause I fell in with a bunch of hippies and they brainwashed me (BIG WINKY FACE going out to the BLWers).
Each to their own, totally. But she just didn’t have a single comprehensible argument – she just screeched and waffled. And it just made her look pathetic. It *could* have been an interesting debate if she’d done some prep…
PS One of my closest friends is called Lottie and she comes from Yorkshire. She’s ace and I’d assume you are too.
Thank you very much!
Oh Lottie, Lottie, Lottie…you do realise that you have missed a true vocation. Without kids, you are not only entitled to sound off about parents and parenting, but you are entitled to write books and go on tv shows…look at Gina Ford, look at Supernanny. Why do you need to be qualified to say or do anything when you can just plough right ahead and piss the world off (not you personally btw…although, maybe you do, I don’t know and it’d be unqualified of me to pass judgement without knowing this fact!)
Anyway, Kate, fab article, Lottie, I suggest you could make a mint here hun xx
That’s very nice of you to say so, Rachel, but I think that, with 7 nephews and nieces, 4 godchildren and at least a dozen small people I help to look after from time to time (plus the 40 squaddies I used to parent, sorry, manage!), that’s enough for me. The hubby and I weren’t built to be blessed with small folk. I’m an editor for a living these days, too, so I think I’ll stick to helping other people be parents and other people write books.
Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that any book I wrote on the subject would be one page long and basically say ‘Keep going! Do what works for you and your family, take care of each other and be excellent to each other’. I’m pretty sure you couldn’t make that run to a hardback.
Pardon me for thinking this but perhaps these ladies have no children of their own because they have dedicated their lives looking after and helping parents raise and care for their own?
While one might agree or disagree with their methods, no one is forcing you as a parent to follow them and i do believe there are plenty of midwives without their own children who can soothe and advise and make a birth experience as good as the next who has…
Doctors who treat ailments and advise on how to care for patients illnesses they have never had themselves… i could go on
I think with years of experience in the field it does entitle you to at least have an informed opinion
As a mum of 2 who’s big sis’ is an ace midwife… that was mine 🙂
I couldn’t agree more. She’s given airtime because it brings in the viewers. People love to get their knickers in a twist about pretty much everything when it comes to parenting. A mother who let her child cry it out can convince the pope that it was the right thing for her and the same goes for a mother who waits it out!! Look at the face on Katie Hopkins while Peaches is speaking at the start…it’s almost like they’ve told her…make that face, it stirs people up. So by time she actually comes to talk, you already hate what she’s going to say…just because it’s her. But I totally love the way you put it here Katie, she needs to have a better argument to be TV worthy. In this video, to me, it looked like they just invited her there to cause a controversy and up their viewing numbers!
Flipping brilliant!
Freaking awesome
Haha, bravo!! 🙂
Well articulated argument against Katie however, in 1960 I was swaddled in something restricted, carted Round in folks arms, was constantly cooed over, indulged and interminabley breast fed ( we were poor you see), I have never got over the claustrophobia, and my life has been hard to say the least, Peaches has the financial fancy to do whatever to her kids, true parenting is being there when they need you or when you can…..fact x enjoy
Presumably if that’s how everyone was brought up as you say then everybody of your generation would have the same affliction? It hasn’t been happening since 1960. It’s been happening since we climbed down from the trees and made fire. We are mammals and we breastfeed our young. We always have. It’s not a crazy fad. Buggies haven’t been around forever. Even now in poorer countries the babies are carried in cloth. I suspect there may well be another reason for your claustrophobia as it seems that you were raised how most babies since the dawn of time were and the others got off ok!
I think the point Jackie is making is that not all methods will suit every parent and every child…. the attachment style parenting doesn’t seem to have had a positive effect on her, she’s not implying it will have the same effect on everyone who uses it, just as it wont be a negative for every child who isn’t raised in that way. I don’t use attachment parenting and have very happy, funny, clever, well adjusted, polite children…. perhaps I’m just lucky….. what’s important is caring for them and raising them in the best way you see fit and not which “technique” you go by.
Thanks for your point of view Jackie – basically, I’m interested in any arguments for or against AP which aren’t “Attachment Parents are Crap Parents”. That was just an embarrassing level of debate 😉
Absolutely, Mrs B – whatever works for each family/child (hence us doing things completely differently with each child) What I object to is someone being allowed to think that a 4-year-old level of arguing (i.e. shouting the same thing over and over again) is acceptable for an adult…
I thought she presented herself as an obnoxious ignoramus on purpose to get herself more outrage/airtime. I wish everyone would just ignore and stop asking her to comment on anything.
I know…but they won’t cause she’s good for ratings (and she’s good for my blog stats. Cynical, hey?)
That’s exactly why they have her on there, I’m sure she sits and thinks of the worst possible things she could just so she can cause outrage and boost ratings….after all she gets everyone talking about her and if there’s on thing parenting has taught me is that children will do anything for attention whether it be good or bad.
Perfect! (Big winky face back at ya lol!)
wicked !!! tv kate you have nothing to say and your saying it too loud !!!!!
Who is Katie Hopkins and why does she matter?
Who is Katie Hopkins and why are her views important?
Just get on with bringing up children and stop making a crusade out of it
I think that’s the point – she doesn’t matter in the slightest if you’re confident in your parenting style and choices and have a reasonable amount of self-worth. But, if you’re a first-time parent and you don’t have a good local support network, or you have post-natal depression, or you feel out of your depth or isolated for whatever reason, then you’re more likely to listen to the hateful nonsense the woman is spouting and be negatively affected by it.
For the rest of us, it’s a comic distraction – a middle-class 21st century freak show but, for those who are a little fragile for whatever reason, I see it as being chronically unhelpful.
I wouldn’t call it a crusade, it’s a commentary on popular culture.
Well said!
I have no idea who this woman is or what she said as I don’t have a tv but I really enjoyed your post. And all of the intelligent, well-formed and encouraging replies on here!
Love it when a woman is well represented.
Thanks!
Yes, yes and yes Lottie Yorkshire. Spot on.
Her comments themselves are obviously pointless. But the fact that someone is allowed to spout such irrational hatred in so many different bits of the media worries me. I’m not crusading for Attachment Parenting, in fact I’m not crusading for anything…but I do like to deal with these people with the sarcasm they deserve.
Brilliant! Good job! On YouTube Adam waithe (I think he’s called) has made a vid about her and he’s young no kids mixed race and he couldn’t put it any better! Enjoy
Ace! Couldn’t have said it much better xxxxx
If you don’t want to be “attached” to your children why would you bother having them… The greatest gift I have ever had is the chance to have small children,mine and now grandchildren, cuddle up to me at ant time day or night so that they feel safe and loved.
I get that it’s not for everyone (and some people prefer the big kids stage to the mewling baby stage) but for us personally, yes I like snuggling my kids 🙂
THANK YOU. Great to read, and also hear that you’ve done things differently for each child. WITH LOVE is the best parenting style I believe and listening and responding to each child. My son has formula and a dummy, daughter breast fed and thumb, both carried a lot and buggied a lot and in cots….both given so much love and attention all day by my husband and I.
I wrote to this morning, asking them to just stop having her on the TV. Didn’t get a response! Surprise. Well done for the articulation, i can usually only think of expletives. She could just try keeping her mouth shut.
Nah, that’ll never work! Unless she keeps it tight in a pursed-lip way!
Ha. Good for you, what a great read. I have a six month old, and I’m sick beyond sick of people ‘knowing best’ for MY child, I don’t care if these people have had 500 babies, he is my son and therefore I will do what my instincts tell me to do for him. When I need advice, I ask. Or at least I did before I was criticised for everything I did. If people want to put names on it, I’m a breast feeder, I’m a forumla feeder, I’m a baby-led weaner (there’s a weaner/wiener joke there!) I’m an attachment parent, I’m not an attachment parent, I’m a buggy pusher, but sometimes I’m a baby wearer…. and the list goes on…….why do we have to name these things, then pick on each other and all of mankind when we do something differently?! I’m a parent. But more importantly I’m an instinctive human being, and I’m an individual. So is my beautiful son.
Thank you and I hope this page goes all over the world!! Xx
Thanks Sarah! Sometimes, you just wanna shout “I’m not an anything, I’m just someone with a baby!” dontcha?!
Absolutely. But then there are times when I’m sat in a room of Mums discussing nappies or milk or rashes or something and I also want to shout ‘I’m still me!’. My baby is happiest when I’m being my silly, fun self. Not a woman obsessed with how I ‘should’ be doing everything x
Hi Kate
This is fabulous. Have you thought of messaging it to her on fb? If not and you don’t want to, can I have your permission to do so. . .she really needs to read it.
I’ve tweeted her when she was online but no response. .. go for it!! 🙂
Hmm not sure my last reply worked. Go for it! I tweeted her but no answer
I didn’t see/hear this person but from your posts – it was on my daughter’s FB, I get the gist.
ALLof you sound like very sound caring parents/aunties who have done a darn good job. I Just Iwanted to pat you all on the back for being such sensible and very obviously caring parents/aunts who love their children to the ends of the earth. I am a grandmother of five ranging from 17 to 2 and their parents have raised them all in their different “styles” but always in a loving and sensible way. I myself have had 3 children who also were raised in various different ways according to theirs and the rest of the family’s need. I breastfed and bottle fed and the last one was breastfed until 3 1/2. I trained as a Breastfeeding Counsellor in the 1970’s and am very familiar with Attachment Parenting – I was already doing it without knowing it had a name, because it suited the particular baby Ihad at the time.
If what you are reporting (and I have no reason to doubt you) correctly, this woman sounds totally full of herself and her own self-importance and knows nothing. Keep shouting and someone will hear you.
Kate, you are brilliant!
I don’t think her problem is with the use of fabric per se: I think it’s the “Indian print” that really bothers her.
Think how she must feel, every time she sees a baby-wearing mother, having to face the cruel reminder that, yes, India *is* geographical.
Ha ha brilliant!
Wasn’t she the one who said that she would never allow her child to become “best friends” with another child who was named after A Place? While having a child called India?
That’s the one!
Fabulous! Made me chuckle the whole way through, hope she reads it 🙂