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Mum accused of being a bad parent after sharing her pram hack that keeps her son occupied during shopping trips.

Tayla Hutchinson, 21, lives on the Gold Coast with her son, Western, who has severe developmental delays.

Western is also being assessed for autism and is non-verbal, which can lead to outbursts in public places when he becomes afraid of noises or large crowds.

His devoted mother told news.com.au she had finally found a cheap and easy way to keep her little boy “calm and happy” while she gets the family’s shopping done.

Tayla shared how she spotted a Smartphone Flexi Tripod for $8 and had an idea.

tripod

“The legs on the tripod are completely flexible, so you can adjust it to your pram or trolley,” she said.

Hooking the tripod upside-down, off the top of Western’s pram cover, Tayla was able to play his favourite YouTube channel keeping him entertained, while she completed her shopping.

Tayla posted the clever Kmart hack on her Facebook and Instagram account,  sharing how the $8 phone holder was so helpful, it allowed her to shop “without rushing or being worried that he will have a meltdown”.

“If you’re like me and have a child on the spectrum, or one that just doesn’t settle when shopping, and your phone is the only thing that helps, then this can be so handy,” she wrote.

The post went viral, attracting almost 2K likes and hundreds of comments from people praising Tayla’s “brilliant” pram trick, and applauding her resourcefulness.

However others were highly critical about the dangers of exposing such a young child to technology.

Tayla said she had received many “nasty comments” about putting a phone in front of her child to keep him quiet.

“They were mainly about how technology has so much radiation, and how we’re growing a generation that’s always on their phones,” she said.

“I’m not worried about people calling my hack ‘bad parenting’, all I care about is keeping my child calm and happy.”

She said parenting was hard enough without having to cop extra comments and judgments from strangers.

“Please for a minute, step into our shoes and ask yourself ‘What would I do in her position?’,” Tayla said.

Tayla has since shared an update on Instagram after receiving so much abuse over the hack.

“So I posted a tip on the Kmart Mums page on Facebook about how I use the Kmart $8 tripod as a pram phone holder. Since then 3 different news websites have asked for my story. I have received some incredible backlash as I give my son my phone to watch YouTube videos. (One including that my son will get eyesight loss and I’ll supposedly blame it on his autism?).

I’m not going to speak much on this matter as I know my truths and I know that I am a good mum who is genuinely just trying to do her best, but why do people feel the need to judge? You don’t have to love how I parent Western, or what I do to get through the day. That is fine. What isn’t okay is telling me I’m a bad parent or I’m ruining my child because he watches less then 2 hours of YouTube a day.

We use it when we shop because he is unsettled and unpredictable. He sometimes gets nervous in loud and crowded situations and I just don’t know how he will react waking up in the morning.

Be kind to one another, I beg of you. Some people aren’t as open as I am with Westerns diagnosis. You honestly do not know what people are going through. Just be kind, how do to expect to raise kind children if you’re not setting the example you’re teaching.”


View this post on Instagram

News || Fri 21st June • So I posted a tip on the Kmart Mums page on Facebook about how I use the Kmart $8 tripod as a pram phone holder. Since then 3 different news websites have asked for my story. I have received some incredible backlash as I give my son my phone to watch YouTube videos. (One including that my son will get eyesight loss and I’ll supposedly blame it on his autism?). • I’m not going to speak much on this matter as I know my truths and I know that I am a good mum who is genuinely just trying to do her best, but why do people feel the need to judge? You don’t have to love how I parent Western, or what I do to get through the day. That is fine. What isn’t okay is telling me I’m a bad parent or I’m ruining my child because he watches less then 2 hours of YouTube a day. • We use it when we shop because he is unsettled and unpredictable. He sometimes gets nervous in loud and crowded situations and I just don’t know how he will react waking up in the morning. • Be kind to one another, I beg of you. Some people aren’t as open as I am with Westerns diagnosis. You honestly do not know what people are going through. Just be kind, how do to expect to raise kind children if you’re not setting the example you’re teaching.

A post shared by WESTERN & TAYLA???? (@taylahutchinson) on

We think it is an awesome idea!  Wish I thought of it when the kids were younger.

What do you think?

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  • Each to their own but not for me,

    Reply

  • Good on you, if it works, why not.

    Reply

  • Yes kids are getting way to much screentime but sometimes you just need some peace and quiet. My kids never had any sort of screens as such though, Not until they needed an iPad for school.

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  • We really shouldn’t judge

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  • In all honesty that is bad parenting. Kids are getting way too much screen time as it is. Let them look around at their surroundings. You miss so much when looking at a screen.

    Reply

  • I have a son with ASD so I totally understand that this is a solution that helps her do what she needs to do out of the house. You do what you can to get through the day, and to have some sanity.

    Reply

  • This poor mum. When your kid has a disability you do everything you can to ensure they don’t have a melt down, well done mumma! Your doing a great job.

    Reply

  • Each for there own sometime as a parent you do what works to cope and survive I’m not a fan of this and wouldn’t give to my child but people are so quick to judge on everything if your child is screaming your look upon and told to keep your child quiet and the list goes on

    Reply

  • I think it is acceptable for this child but not all, what a parent does is no one elses business unless there is clearly abuse and people should not be so judgemental without knowing the facts.

    Reply

  • I know it’s stressful shopping with kids. Always end up with unwanted item in the trolly.

    Reply

  • You gotta do what you need to

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  • Its hard one again. Each to their own, you just have to watch the amount of screen time they have.

    Reply

  • You do what you need to do and only you know all of the circumstances so the people that judge can just be ignored.

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  • I think this mum is very clever in that she has found what helps her autistic child to stay calm while she is shopping so as not to disrupt other shoppers and I applaud that she was trying to help other mums with her solution. I just wish social media was more positive than negative.

    Reply

  • If that’s what helps her do what she needs to get done, then good on her. I can’t stand judgy mum’s who think they are the most perfect parents and have nothing to do but rain on other mum’s parades.

    Reply

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