Let’s face it. Raising a child through a fishbowl tainted by a crazed and frenzied media cannot be easy. The smallest of news become major affairs when critical eyes peer over. Even as our hearts go out to the el famous, our nosey ways hardly stop for good reasons – the entertainment that is the misadventures of celebrity child rearing.
While 2007 was a good year for most, it really was quite unfortunate for some young’uns.
Oh Britney, Britney. Caught in a mess of salacious and scandalous events, it is no mean feat tweezing out the worst parenting moments. Mother to 2-year old Sean Preston and 1-year old Jayden James, the singer’s drinking, drug habits, crotch-showing ways and devil-may-care attitude has worried the world over. And just when you thought it was all over, oops…she does it again! Her erratic behaviour (read: shaving head bald) and not showing up for depositions repeatedly in the custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline (No. 2 on our list - birds of a feather marry each other, apparently) makes you wonder if she is mature or responsible enough for motherhood.
No. 1 Britney Spears
But, well, she has made baby steps. The grubby faced boys of hers were at least fully clothed in public by the end of last year.
It’s all about the kids, Brit, all about the kids.
No. 2 Kevin Federline
K-Fed has four kids (that he knows of, at least) – two with ex-girlfriend Shar Jackson and the two with ex-wife Britney Spears. He is always quick to add in interviews that fatherhood has changed him for the better, and that his kids adore him.
Cue to go “aww”? Hardly.
This hip-hop singer and dancer with little success to his name is hardly a good role model. He parties like a rock star, is known for some madcap antics and allegedly smokes marijuana in front of his children, according to reports in US magazine Life&Style Weekly – talk about fatherly love.
Yet more bewildering is the fact that he has been awarded sole custody of children with Britney. Poor little Sean Preston and Jayden James. Their momma’s off her rockers and poppa’s no better.
No. 3 Alec Baldwin
He called his 11-year-old daughter, Ireland, a “thoughtless little pig” when she missed a scheduled phone call in April last year.
Like that is not bad enough, the actor continued with a slew of threats and insults at ex-wife, Kim Basinger, in the same voice message. Dear Alec, such spiteful comments should never fall upon your daughter’s ears. Ever.
His tirade was so alarming that his family judge barred him from seeing Ireland temporarily. He did apologise shortly after and it’s good in Baldwin-land now. Never speak in a moment of fury, we are oft told. Someone should dispense such advice to Alec because the poor kid must be petrified of daddy dearest.
No. 4 Courtney Love
This resident hell-raiser is famous for tripping over red carpets, caught under perpetual alcohol influence and excessive drug use. Such character is, needless to say, unbecoming of the 43-year-old widow of rock music legend Kurt Cobain with a 15-year-old daughter Frances Bean. She even admitted to taking heroin during her pregnancy (which she now refutes) and lost custody of Frances for two years in 2003 because of her drug use.
Bad behaviour should not translate into bad parenting, but in this case, it just does. There are bad parents and then there is Courtney Love, and Love’s bad parenting ways have been a fait accompli well before 2007.
The apple does not fall too far away from the tree and this is a fact mighty evident in the Osbourne household.
No. 5 Ozzy Osbourne
Drug abuser and alcoholic father of English heavy metal band Black Sabbath has five children, two of whom, 22-year old Jack and 23-year old Kelly, are notorious for being chips of the old block. Besides battling problems with drug abuse over the years, both are well-known for their crude and non-classy ways. Fatherhood props to Ozzy for raising such fine, young children.
No. 6 David Hasselhoff
The actor of Baywatch and Knight Rider fame was drunk, shirtless, and being filmed by his 16-year old daughter, Taylor-Ann, making a complete mess of eating a burger and swearing at her.
As if that is not bad enough, it was Taylor-Ann who was trying to be a good parent, getting her recovering alcoholic father to quit drinking or he’d lose his job. Talk about role reversal here.
But if we look at the positive side of things, Daddy may be a bad role model but at least he raised an intelligent teenage daughter with miles more maturity than him. Oh Hasselhoff, we liked you better shirtless and charming in Baywatch.
Model Kate Moss has an adorable five-year-old daughter Lila Grace (we’ve seen pictures and she really is adorable!). Unfortunate for Moss, however, is that the British paparazzi love to hate her and the party girl’s nights out in town are often used as evidence of parenting.
No. 7 Kate Moss
And then in 2007, Moss had a certain very unkempt and known drug addict rocker boyfriend/fiancée named Pete Doherty – not the best daddy material we say. Fortunately for little Lila, the two split up in mid-2007.
Since then, Moss is reported to have gotten clean from drugs herself. Kate darling, just remember to eat and feed your daughter, and you’ll stay out of our worst parents list.