Parents need to stop infantalising their children and let them do things for themselves.
That's according to Newstalk Breakfast host Ciara Kelly, who was responding to suggestions parents should buy children cleaning products instead of toys.
She said all too often, children aren't allowed to learn what they need.
"I do think we're in danger of disempowering our kids by infantalising them.
"I think very often nowadays as parents we - maybe without meaning to - we give our kids the message that they aren't really capable of stuff that they are in fact perfectly capable of.
"I do believe, actually, that our role as parents is to equip kids for life and upskilling them to be able for stuff.
"I think when we as parents hold them back, and baby them, and hold them back from stuff that they are able to do I'm not sure that that's good.
"I think it's about the parents - I think the parents want to be needed".
She believes this stems back to our own childhoods.
"We are still hurting from our benign neglect - the little child inside us is bruised.
"And we wish our mommies and daddies had minded us instead of kicking us out in the morning and not letting us back till teatime".
"I think getting your kids to do as much as they're able for is a good thing.
"Not because I want to stuff my children down pit and into the workhouse... but because I think it's good to send the kids the message: You're well able, life isn't scary, life isn't too much for you, you can do this'.
"I think it's empowering".
It comes after Italian-American actress Julia Fox suggested parents should buy children cleaning products instead of toys.
On her TikTok, she suggested: I think that the idea of childhood was invented as a way to just get parents to spend a lot of money on s***... it's not really teaching your kid anything.
"You just end up kind of raising a kid that's like helpless and doesn't know what to do.
"So I suggest everyone buy their kid a little mini mop, a mini broom - and start teaching them those life skills really young".
