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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel shaken by Liam Paynes death and wonder how we keep our kids safe

203 replies

middleagedandinarage · 18/10/2024 10:31

Just that really, I'm a bit old to be a 1D fan and didn't know a huge amount about Liam Payne apart from him being part of one of the worlds most famous boy bands and having a son with Cheryl Cole but I feel very shocked and upset by his death. He was clearly a very troubled man, which I imagine came from being shot to fame at such a young age. Obviously not every child has that pressure but I feel incredibly worried for my own children. How do we keep our children safe and on the right track in a world that seems to have so so many pressures for them

OP posts:
soupfiend · 18/10/2024 10:32

It never goes down well and people will argue against it, but the answer is, keep them off social media, keep them off unsupervised internet, until they are strong enough and resilient enough to see through bull shit

Give most adults cant even do that, I fear its a losing ideal.

Lemons1571 · 18/10/2024 10:34

Keep away from drugs and the celeb / media industries is a good start

User14March · 18/10/2024 10:39

I think the fashion for documenting your life via; insta, tiktok, etc is so dangerous. If you are not conventionally ‘cool’ or attractive etc or are neurodiverse etc you are partic vulnerable.

AnnaMagnani · 18/10/2024 10:42

Don't encourage your vulnerable child to yearn to be a celebrity would be a start.

TheBunyip · 18/10/2024 10:43

don't sign them up for fame then work them like dogs until they break?

Rainrainngoaway · 18/10/2024 10:43

Don’t let your 14 year old audition for a tv show, don’t let your 16 year old join a band and travel the world. Dont encourage your child to think that fame and recognition is something to aspire to.

AnneLovesGilbert · 18/10/2024 10:46

This feels pretty distasteful.

Pigeonqueen · 18/10/2024 10:47

I think this is in poor taste really. I’m sure Liam Paynes family felt they did everything they could to love and protect him.

MrsBobtonTrent · 18/10/2024 10:50

You are taking someone else's tragedy and making it all about you. Poor taste so soon.

QueenCamilla · 18/10/2024 10:50

Doesn't matter if you're cool, beautiful, rich and famous or ugly, poor, bullied and uneducated - things can go either way for you - up or down.
Until there's drugs. Then the only way is down.
Don't do drugs kids!

FiveShelties · 18/10/2024 10:51

Pigeonqueen · 18/10/2024 10:47

I think this is in poor taste really. I’m sure Liam Paynes family felt they did everything they could to love and protect him.

This

Goldenbear · 18/10/2024 10:51

I agree with the above. I accidentally caught the tail end of an episode of that K pop band show on the BBC and felt sorry for the young men being lambasted for their inadequacies- I am really hoping that lots of the harsh criticism was exaggerated for the camera as if not, it must been hugely damaging to a young person. I don't really know why they have to be so rude. People in the music industry that are talent spotting so seem to be absurdly self - important.

middleagedandinarage · 18/10/2024 10:51

I really didn't mean this to come across distastefully or like I'm implying Liam's family didn't do enough to protect him. I also didn't mean particularly how do you protect them in regards to being famous/celebrities. I feel terribly sad for Liam's family and just got me thinking about how much pressure our young people are under and how we can support them better

OP posts:
LadyKenya · 18/10/2024 10:52

soupfiend · 18/10/2024 10:32

It never goes down well and people will argue against it, but the answer is, keep them off social media, keep them off unsupervised internet, until they are strong enough and resilient enough to see through bull shit

Give most adults cant even do that, I fear its a losing ideal.

This would be a great start. As Soupfiend says, even some adults can't even deal with the effects of consuming so much distorted media output, without it leaving them feeling low, inadequate etc. The young need protecting against the onslaught.

UnRavellingFast · 18/10/2024 10:52

It is sad that he died like this. But the amount of coverage and involvement is insane.

ATastingMenuButItsAllCrisps · 18/10/2024 10:54

how do you protect them in regards to being famous/celebrities.

Can you explain what you mean? Sounds like you think your kids will be famous and you'll need to protect them from this?

Milo45 · 18/10/2024 10:56

I dont see how you're relating your child at home to Liam Payne. He had insane success from a young age, that happens to a tiny percentage of people. Why are you worrying about this for your child?

Lemons1571 · 18/10/2024 10:57

It’s not a parenting issue or a family issue really. It’s not their fault, they are not responsible.

It’s the nature of the music industry - unsavoury morally corrupt, that should be held to account. Execs pushing and pushing normal young people to drain every £ out of their time limited income generation. When they are near breaking point, put some the prescription and other drugs of choice to keep them going.

middleagedandinarage · 18/10/2024 10:58

ATastingMenuButItsAllCrisps · 18/10/2024 10:54

how do you protect them in regards to being famous/celebrities.

Can you explain what you mean? Sounds like you think your kids will be famous and you'll need to protect them from this?

No, I mean my post was not particularly about people who are famous/celebrities, just generally the pressures children/young people are under. I absolutely don't think my children will be celebrities.

OP posts:
soupfiend · 18/10/2024 10:58

middleagedandinarage · 18/10/2024 10:51

I really didn't mean this to come across distastefully or like I'm implying Liam's family didn't do enough to protect him. I also didn't mean particularly how do you protect them in regards to being famous/celebrities. I feel terribly sad for Liam's family and just got me thinking about how much pressure our young people are under and how we can support them better

In my view, which I bang on about at length, we do contrasting and conflicting things with children

We overinvest in 'emotions' and feelings and this adults children to a degree which is not in line with their stages of development quite often. Children are put on a pedestal. We prioritise emotions and feelings when really they can be quite unreliable as markers of what is going on for a person. Those same emotions and feelings must be minimised, so hunger must be minimised, boredom, frustration, anxiety, etc etc. If they're not minimised then they are pathologised to extreme proportions

At the same time, we infantilise children (and Im aware of the apparent contradiction in terms of me saying restrict social media!), we keep going on about their brains not having developed yet, they cant be left to do something on their own, they cant have part time jobs its too exhausting with school, they must have the same as their friends or carnage will ensue

I think the message for some children is that 'you're not ok, you're anxious, you're unsafe, the world is dangerous, you cant do this, you must be listened to above all others, you're special'

Those messages are contradictory and unhelpful and in some contexts, for some children will lead to a drive to fix themselves using dysfunctional methods.

PalePurplePumpkin · 18/10/2024 10:59

User14March · 18/10/2024 10:39

I think the fashion for documenting your life via; insta, tiktok, etc is so dangerous. If you are not conventionally ‘cool’ or attractive etc or are neurodiverse etc you are partic vulnerable.

Agreed, but this begins at home.

Far too many kid's photos are plastered on the internet by their own parents, who do it for their own gain so they can lap up all the likes and love hearts and 'Gawguss' comments.

Some don't even make it out of the womb before they appear on Facebook/Instagram, so telling kids not to do this is like telling them not to smoke whilst hanging a fag out the side of your mouth.

"No pressure to look great, looks are unimportant, personality and hard work is what matters in life. Now stand by the front door and smile for your 'back to school' pic, so mummy and daddy can show 100s of people who you don't even know".

Meadowfinch · 18/10/2024 11:00

It's important to remember that LP was 31. Not a child but a mature man.

As for keeping our DCs safe, the same applies as always has.

Keep them grounded
Support their ambitions
Be there in the background to help if needed
Assure them of unconditional love
Keep reminding them that social media is pointless irrelevant rubbish.

cestlavielife · 18/10/2024 11:01

Anyone can develop mental illness.maybe some more susceptible
Some people sadly either meds are not working or need tweaking etc
If you do have diagnosed isues then taking drugs and alcohol won't help.
How can you actually prevent this in an adult with their own free will?
No one can know if a non fame life would have prevented such issues or someone would have received different help
It s tragic

Blanketyre · 18/10/2024 11:02

He was 31 with drug and alcohol problems. He also had a very abusive relationship with his ex partner.

I don't think any parent would want their dc to grow up like this. I'm sure LPs poor parents didn't either.

Futurethinking2026 · 18/10/2024 11:02

I think I get what you are saying @middleagedandinarage . It’s actually a conversation we had with DS18 last night. He’s had MH challenges and also ADHD / ASD diagnosed but wants to fit in with his friends. They are able to go out clubbing twice a week and we are sure some of them will be using recreational drugs but if / when DS has tried to go clubbing he ends up in burn out stage and very down in the week. He’s is adamant he hasn’t used the drugs but we can’t know for sure. He has much bigger highs and much bigger lows then any of his friends. It’s a real worry and concern for us.

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