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Kirstie Allsopp leaves Twitter over iPad smashing backlash

  • Published
    11 September 2018
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Kirstie AllsoppImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Kirstie Allsopp is best known for presenting Location, Location, Location on Channel 4

ByKatie Thompson
BBC UGC & Social News

Kirstie Allsopp has left Twitter after facing a fierce backlash when she admitted she smashed her children's iPads over her gaming rules.

Parents slammed the TV presenter online after she revealed she broke her sons' devices when they played games outside their permitted time.

Criticism soon flooded onto social media, with many people calling her "privileged" and "absurd".

Her Twitter account has since been deleted.

It was not long before outraged parents took to social media to vent their fury at the Location, Location, Location presenter, who has two sons and two stepsons.

Thousands of people have been commenting on it - the majority condemning her actions and the message it sends to children.

How very privileged of this person...smashing expensive electronics rather than just taking them away. I would love to be able to afford to buy and smash iPads just to make a point.Image source, Facebook

But she has also received backing from fellow parents weary of tantrums come time to turn off machines.

Good on her, I say. My son has had meltdowns whenever his screen time ends when playing Fortnite. I have set his Xbox up so he isn't playing on it for too long at any one time!Image source, Facebook

Some took quite a strong stance and suggested she was condoning violence and criminal damage.

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Twitter users then noticed her account had vanished only hours after the story emerged on Monday.

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Prior to that, Allsopp had added fuel to the fire by comparing smashing the iPads to destroying a packet of cigarettes.

If you found your kids with a packet of cigarettes would you say "I won't destroy these because they are worth a tenner but please don't smoke?" No of course you wouldn't.Image source, Twitter

But this just attracted even more comments, with some calling it a "weak" comparison.

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Another user, @BelfastBabs, said Allsopp's actions made her "more of a child than any of them".

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Some were clearly not on board with her parenting style, with @emkaybeesoon saying "thank God you were not my mother".

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It's not the first time her parenting stance has been called into question.

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She was forced to defend her decision to sit separately from her sons when flying earlier this year.

It was not long before this was referenced in the responses as well.

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But there was also sympathy for the TV presenter, with some people agreeing with her actions.

Kerry Hill said on Facebook: "It came from frustration in the heat of the moment and was a visible wake up call".

To be fair she was talking in response to a call about the over use of computer games and criticism about that in general. She said she hadn't intended to speak about it . Adding that she had repeated rules to her children which had constantly been broken so to try and get through to them she tapped the iPads on the table breaking the screens. I'm not sure if I think that's right or wrong toImage source, Facebook

She continued: "There's no need to call her violent, mental or fault her for being rich. I think it was good she was honest about the frustrations of parenting".

And Zara Graham praised her actions saying "good on her", with this Facebook post.

Good on her! Parents are too scared to do anything to punish their kids now days.. that's why there are so many brats running about thinking they can get away with all sorts. I mean she didn't need to break them but whatever works for herImage source, Facebook

More on this story

  • Kirstie Allsopp: 'I smashed my kids' iPads'

    • Published
      10 September 2018
    Kirstie Allsopp and child with iPad
  • Allsopp defends flying apart from children

    • Published
      4 June 2018
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