Child behavioural expert Amanda Jenner has publicly criticised Louise Thompson and her husband Ryan Libbey for their recent comments about un-potty-trained children in Reception classes, describing their laughter as 'mean girl' behaviour. The former Made In Chelsea star issued an emotional apology last month after backlash over the podcast episode, but Jenner says the apology does not excuse the mockery.
What happened on the podcast
On their podcast He Said, She Said, the couple discussed a statistic that one in four children are sent to school before they are fully potty trained. Louise admitted the statistic 'shocked' her before laughing when Ryan said 'that's a raw deal' for the teacher who has to deal with it. The interaction sparked huge backlash, with followers pointing out reasons children may still be in nappies, including Special Educational Needs (SEN).
Jenner's reaction
Amanda Jenner, an ITV toddler expert and author of potty-training resources, told the Mirror: 'I was very upset that she actually did that. I appreciate that she apologised, but I'd have expected better of her. I just thought that the big cackle was like she was taking the p*** out of the children. It felt a bit Mean Girls. It upset me all day after I heard it. I just thought, you're a mum, you should know better, and it was mum shaming.'
Jenner, who invented the award-winning My Carry Potty sold in 30 countries, added: 'Absolutely nobody knows how hard, or otherwise, it is for any individual parent. We should all hold each other high. It is not the easiest job in this world to bring up a child. I have been an expert working with families for 25 years. I could not get my daughter to go to school for a year, so does that mean I am a bad parent?'
Impact on SEN community
Jenner highlighted the anger within the SEN community: 'In the SEN community, everyone went absolutely crazy, and I do not blame them. They are like, well, would you laugh at your child for not walking on time? It was just wrong.'
Louise Thompson had previously apologised on social media, saying she was 'deeply devastated' and had 'tremendous admiration' for struggling mothers. However, Jenner's comments underscore the lasting impact of the couple's remarks.
