Ivanka Trump And Erin Napier Have One Parenting Goal In Common
At first glance, the two women pictured here might seem to have nothing in common. Ivanka Trump lives an insanely lavish life with her family in one of the poshest areas of Florida, and this follows her four years working for the most famous house in America. Erin Napier comes from a much more modest background, and while HGTV's "Home Town" brought her fame, she and husband Ben Napier still enjoy simple pleasures in their Mississippi home. While Ivanka shares selfies from fancy soirées and family trips to exotic locales, Erin's Instagram feed features highlights of their renovation jobs, plus the occasional pic of Ben getting splinters removed from his hands.
But the former first daughter and the interior designer are both mothers who prioritize the well-being of their children, particularly in the age of electronics and social media. Recently, Ivanka promoted a book called "The Anxious Generation," about the toll technology takes on children's mental health. "Key takeaways: No smartphones before high school/No social media before 16/Phone free schools/More independence, free play and responsibility in the real world," Ivanka wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Erin would be the first to applaud. She and Ben are co-founders of a grassroots organization called OSPREY (Old School Parents Raising Engaged Youth). Their mission is to create family communities who collectively ban social media for their underage children. "Osprey is for parents who want to create a dynamic, engaged childhood for their kids, and preserve the value of authentic human connection," their website states.
Erin Napier knows all about social media dangers
Erin and Ben Napier are the proud parents of two young girls, Helen and Mae. But parenting as a TV personality can be tough, Erin says. The Napiers worry about their daughters' safety, and with good reason: A stranger once moved to their neighborhood and began stalking Helen.The man was eventually sent out of town, but the incident made the Napiers even more determined to protect their children's privacy. They don't show Helen's and Mae's faces on TV or in their photos (as illustrated here). As Erin once told the "Today" show, "How would I feel about it, if I went back in time and saw my mom posted all of this stuff for the world to see?"
As it is, the Napiers still get their share of unwarranted online grief. Erin once scolded her fans for their "ugly" social media comments about their home renovations, urging them to "be sweet" and keep negative opinions to themselves. Still, people are slow to get the message. One Christmas, Erin wrote a poignant post about celebrating the holiday in the midst of difficult times. For some reason, a follower decided to respond by criticizing her daughters' hair. "I can't say this emphatically enough: you have missed the point here," Erin clapped back. "[A]lso while we are making demands of people we don't know: please do unfollow me at your earliest convenience." Small wonder the HGTV stars want to keep their children away from TikTok and Instagram.
Ivanka Trump gave her daughter a teen-safe phone
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have three children: Arabella, Joseph, and Theodore. Unlike Erin Napier, Ivanka is less cautious about sharing images of them online — perhaps because she grew up under the media spotlight herself. However, she isn't one of those mothers who puts up posts of diaper blowouts and grungy bedrooms. About the most relatable mom moment she has shared was a shot of Theo on a hospital gurney being treated for a broken wrist. Most of the time, her photos show happy moments and proud milestones which probably won't make the kids cringe later on. (And truthfully, it's sweet to see that Arabella is growing up to be Ivanka's twin.)
But despite her own online presence, the one-time presidential adviser still wants to keep her children away from the pitfalls of social media. One imagines she might be concerned about cyberbullying, or perhaps she wants to limit what they read about their, um, rather famous grandfather. As Ivanka explained in her tweet, they gave Arabella a Pinwheel, a kids' smartphone that allows parents to monitor texts and calls. Spotify and Audible are among the many apps downloadable on the phone, but kids can't access any social media sites or web browsers. Presumably, the Kushner boys also have (or will get) the device as well.
Maybe the Napiers should consider asking Ivanka to join their OSPREY team. Her endorsement could help spread their message to small and big towns alike.