Is it wrong to kiss your children on the lips? Some of David Beckham’s fans think so. The retired soccer player kicked off a heated debate after he shared a photo of himself pecking his 7-year-old daughter, Harper, on the mouth at a skating rink.
“Christmas is coming,” Beckham captioned his festive Monday, November 26, Instagram. “Let’s go skate.”
The British athlete was quickly flooded with comments. “This is not appropriate,” wrote one person. Added another: “Not on lips. Cheeks is OK.” A third naysayer dubbed the display of affection “inappropriate.”
Although the sports icon has not responded to the recent criticism, plenty of people came to his defense. “I kiss my kids on the lips and my parents kissed me and I wish my dad was here so I could hug and kiss him,” wrote one person. Many — including New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady — praised Beckham for being a loving and devoted father. As Brady, 41, commented: “Dad and daughter. So sweet!” (Back in February, Brady sent Twitter into a frenzy when he was filmed kissing his 10-year-old son Jack on the lips.)
Both David and his wife, Victoria Beckham, have come under fire for posting Instagram photos, in which they are seen kissing Harper on the lips.
“I kiss all my kids on the lips,” David explained in a July 2017 Facebook Live video. “Brooklyn, maybe not. Brooklyn’s 18, he might find that a little bit strange. But, I’m very affectionate with my kids. It’s how I was brought up and Victoria, and it’s how we are with our children.”
The Beckhams, who have been married for 19 years, are also parents of Brooklyn, 19, Romeo, 16, Cruz, 13.