Peter Andre has been forced to defend his 11-year-old son’s weightlifting after a video he shared of his children at a gym attracted criticism.
In the clip, Junior, who is the son of former glamour model Katie Price, was bench-pressing while his sisters, Princess, nine, and Amelia, three, were skipping and hiding at a gym.
While many were supportive of the family promoting an active lifestyle, others told the former popstar his children “should be running around outside not in a gym”.
“Don’t really think the gym is the place for an 11-year-old,” wrote another follower.
Addressing the backlash he received after posting the clip to Instagram last week, the 44-year-old said Junior was lifting a “featherweight”.
The father-of-four described his children's trip to the gym as "a bit of fun" in a column he wrote for New! magazine, adding that he "was there with (Junior) the whole time".
"I wouldn't let him lift anything heavy! I was in the gym at 11, 12 years too," he told his readers.
"We like keeping fit together - it's just a bit of fun. Relax, people!"
Listen: Is crossfit for kids safe? (Post continues after audio.)
Fans also defended Andre's parenting, with one commenting, "The weights are tiny and it's just a father enjoying time with his children messing around in the gym it's not a serious hardcore session."
"It's good that they are being taught to use the gym safely and properly under their dad's guidance - as long as they don't grow up completely paranoid about having 'perfect' bodies!" cautioned another.
Andre and Price are parents to Junior and Princess, while Andre raises Amelia and five-month-old Theo with his second wife Emily MacDonagh.
Price is also mum to 14-year-old Harvey, three-year-old Jett and two-year-old Bunny.
Top Comments
Soooo, probably should have left him at home palying video games and eating chips then? Nothing wrong with kids having respect for fitness if its done right.
No worse than kids the same age doing footy/cricket/basketball/ karate practice, is it?