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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find Joe Wicks a pain in the bum since he became a dad

187 replies

Bluewall · 27/04/2019 00:35

I know I could easily sort this problem by unfollwing him on Instagram. I used to enjoy his feed it was positive and cheered me up but since he became a dad he has become a smug first time parent who thinks he knows it all. He constantly posts about how laid back they are and how you just have to stay calm ......

I would say his millions and flexible life probably helps with that being that they are on a month long holiday.

As a harassed parent of 3 children I want to laugh when he suggests you just need to nap with the baby etc
There is no point to this just wondered if I'm a moody cow or anyone else feels the same :p

OP posts:
HeresMe · 11/08/2019 21:05

Follow James Smith instead, but he's not for easily offended.

Boobahs · 11/08/2019 21:09

I love him as well, I've followed him since his boot camp days and absolutely love his work ethic... I think he's in for a shock with two kids though, I just found the whole "preaching about parenting" when his daughter was few days old a bit much!

Original poster
Bluewall · 12/08/2019 00:08

Good luck to them 2 under 2 🤯

OP posts:
OhioOhioOhio · 12/08/2019 00:41

Anyone who tells you how to parent is a annoying. Especially so if they are a rich celebrity.

nowifi · 12/08/2019 10:01

Agreed!

lifeinthedeep · 12/08/2019 18:54

My ds is only 8 months and I don’t feel I’ve had to “parent” him yet aside from taking care of his basic needs and playing.

I believe parenting to have some sort of influence is something you do when they start talking and understanding their surroundings. A 9 month old will just react to their mood and there’s very little you can do about it.

TinyMystery · 12/08/2019 19:02

DeliciouslyElla is far worse 🙈

RedPanda2 · 12/08/2019 19:14

I follow most people if they get married/have a baby. It's just not content I'm interested in. H
Joe Wicks does seem awfully smug, though. I felt sorry for his followers with screaming babies when he's saying 'just keep calm and the baby will be calm' I'm sure if it was that easy babies would never cry...

Original poster
Bluewall · 26/01/2020 08:00

Did anyone see his stories yesterday on wean in 15 ? I feel like he is losing the plot. Those poor kids have no routine and the way he controls his daughters food is worrying.

OP posts:
Berrymuch · 26/01/2020 08:12

YANBU. It feels uneasy to criticise others parenting, but he is putting himself out there as an example, and some of what he posts is actually shocking. His attitude towards feeding his daughter, everything on show for the world to see, saying that they had no heating and proceeding to give both a bath and then leave them naked with just a flimsy blanket on, newborn asleep alone surrounded by blankets and pillows, doing flashcards at 9pm. What the actual. He has a disordered attitude towards eating, I really hope he doesn't pass it on to his children, the fact that he is releasing a book on the subject is actually quite scary.

Ozgirl75 · 26/01/2020 08:15

My friend and I had our first babies at the same time. My first emerged from the womb fully formed as a stroppy adult child with absolute fixed demands and desires, an absolute hatred of being rubbish at things (like literally everything when you try it new for the first time) and a desire to be doing things at all times. He’s mellowed but is similar now at 9 years old.

Friend’s baby was a calm fellow who would stare at the trees in a fascinated way while mine was trying to get to the tree, and up the tree. I would marvel at how she would sit and have a coffee when mine would be banging on the table, stuffing things into his mouth. Because I’m not an overly chilled person myself I am certain that she thought he was the product of my parenting and her chilled child was the superior product of hers!

Then number 2 came along for both and mine was and still is a calmly cheerful boy and hers is a stubborn, tantruming fellow with very fixed ideas of his wants.

We both agree that we have very little to do with personalities, you can only work with what you’re given and try to smooth off the rough edges.

Original poster
Bluewall · 26/01/2020 08:17

O yes and the bath thing when he had no heating !

His followers all think everything he does is amazing which is worrying when he seems to be making it up as he goes along !

OP posts:
nonsensicalmess · 26/01/2020 08:19

I once put on a Joe Wicks exercise video after reading rave reviews of him on here. Turned it off after 5 minutes - definitely not my cup of tea! Lots of gurning and non-stop nonsense-spouting - was awful!

Copperblack · 26/01/2020 08:26

the Nutritionist he has worked with for his Wean in 15 book is far worse than him. She seems to video and demand a full meal critique from every meal she feeds her toddler. The way they talk about how they are setting their children up not to be fussy eater makes me snort - let’s see what they are like at 3 or 12 before you make those pronouncements!

lotsofoysters · 26/01/2020 08:28

the way he controls his daughters food is worrying

In what way? Should she be making her own meals and having unlimited access to the fridge?

EeWellIllGoToTheFootOfOurStair · 26/01/2020 08:37

Lol at 'the way he controls his daughters food..'

Err that's a parents job? What are you suggesting? Is it actually disordered eating to feed a baby/toddler a wide range of healthy foods? I've seen him giving her an ice cream often enough.

Or are you just a teeny bit jealous?

Look, he's definitely smug. No denying it. The flash cards with a toddler at 9pm is funny. But so what? He's clearly doing his best from what anyone with eyes and half a brain can see

Berrymuch · 26/01/2020 08:40

@lotsofoysters of course not, but feeding a limited diet and witholding food if she doesn't eat it first time because she will eat it when she is very hungry is not setting positive behaviours. He also gloats about how she doesn't snack, and often goes hours and hours between meals. He also made a point of chuckling about her eating the bread meant for the ducks- yes because she is super hungry! How he chooses to parent is fine, but to be preaching it and trying to 'teach' other parents how to feed their child makes it scary. Another debate perhaps, but filming her crying because she doesn't want to eat something is also weird.

Chocolatecakefan · 26/01/2020 08:48

The issue that I have with him is when he started out, his fitness and nutrition approach was really innovative. I love HIIT and as a gimmick, the lean in 15 concept was great - some of this recipes are really good,

However, over the last few years I’m personally really uncomfortable how much stuff he puts on social media - I mean he was literally posting within an hour of getting married, he was also posting pics of his new baby within an hour of her birth. I’d love to know what his wife/family think of this.

This is the stuff I find intrusive seeing on my feed. I followed him for fitness advice, I don’t know him; I don’t want to be part of his life. I did actually unfollow him on insta a long time ago because I want to know about his professional expertise.

I think he’s moved away from what he originally was (a personal trainer) through to becoming some sort of lifestyle guru, so he must have lost a lot of his original core fan base (albeit replaced by those who love parenting bloggers).

lotsofoysters · 26/01/2020 08:49

feeding a limited diet and witholding food if she doesn't eat it first time because she will eat it when she is very hungry is not setting positive behaviours

She eats all sorts of stuff. It's a much more varied diet than most kids her age, I'd guess, judging by the BLW Facebook groups I've seen.

Letting her judge her own appetite is the very opposite of controlling. What would you like him to do - force her to sit there until she eats it? Sometimes I'm not hungry at lunchtime so I'll leave my sandwich until an hour later when I'm hungrier. What's the difference?

Berrymuch · 26/01/2020 09:12

@lotsofoysters each to their own, in his own words he does he so she learns there isn't an alternative and eats it as no other choice, great for a slightly older child and important to learn, but one who needs food to grow and develop at a quick rate it seems unfair she goes sometimes 6 hours without any food. Like you say, you are an adult and when you are hungry again you can eat it, or you could make something else because you don't want the 30th fritata of the week. Anyway, he puts his life out there for monetary gain, people are going to have different opinions- just for a weaning book and content you would hope a dietician was having input rather than just a nutritionist. I followed for inspiration but meh.

Jomarchsburntskirt · 26/01/2020 09:13

He’s a smug pain in the arse. Such a know it all. I also hate the way his kids are plastered all over social media. They have no choice in it. He’s also set up a baby weaning instagram page like he’s some kind of font of knowledge.

Original poster
Bluewall · 26/01/2020 09:18

@lotsofoysters

I mean that he makes her wait hours between meals and won't let her have snacks so some days she has breakfast at 8am and no lunch till 2.30pm with nothing else I would be starving by then let alone a toddler. Also if she won't eat her dinner he makes her wait an hour and have it again even if she is clearly tired and upset and it's already 7.30pm. Just give her something else and put her to bed.

And yes I am jealous of his millions and the fact he can be at home most days with his wife and kids to cook home made meals and let his wife nap and play on his motorbike and no doubt he will be off on another holiday soon. But I don't think it's fair to live that very privileged lifestyle and then a t as if you have superior knowledge over how we can all have a wonderful life.

I admit the guy had worked hard (and also got lucky to some extent)

Also he is preaching about how to feed kids and bring up kids with no expertise and his oldest child is only 18 months so he can have no real idea of what the end result is going to be ?!

OP posts:
screamer1 · 26/01/2020 09:26

I stopped following him when he posted that video about staying calm after his first kid. I just thought he was an insensitive arse.

troppibambini · 26/01/2020 09:31

Last night on his story he was showing what he'd made India for dinner. She was making whining noises to get to her food and he was like just a minute darling while I show everyone. Your child is fucking starving because you don't feed her enough for god sake give her the bowl.
I'm all for not filling kids full of shit but they need to feed their kids more. The snacks are fine in moderation waiting til your child is desperate for food is not.

pandacrocs · 26/01/2020 09:40

@troppibambini don't be so ridiculous, she's not starving at all. He works closely with a highly regarded nutritionist. Who has written the waning book with him.

The fact some of you think he's not setting positive behaviours is hilarious. And shock horror to no snacks if she eats 3 proper healthy meals each day. No wonder childhood obesity is rife...