No Logie for Parenting

[H&A_FAN]

No Logie for parenting

Kelly Ryan and Robert Fidgeon

Herald Sun 09 may 06

That was the question family and child experts were asking after tennis ace Lleyton Hewitt and soapie wife Bec held their baby girl up as a Logies spectacle on Sunday night.

The couple were under fire yesterday for keeping five-month-old Mia up late.

Specialist psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg was stunned while watching the Logies when Mia, wearing a dress that matched mum's designer label, made her first TV appearance.

"I thought that's a little girl that should be home in bed," Dr Carr-Gregg said.

He accused the Hewitts of exploiting their daughter.

"Celebrities should keep their children at home and under wraps. I saw it as totally exploitative."

Dr Carr-Gregg said babies needed set bedtime routines.

"I don't believe it's in anyone's interest to keep a child up that late."

Mia has been kept mostly hidden from public view to protect her parents' exclusive woman's magazine deal.

Showbiz sources said consensus after the Logies was that the couple had erred badly by using Mia as a pretty prop when they presented the Logie for the most outstanding children's program.

But the couple's manager, Rob Aivatoglou, defended the pair.

"I don't recall Bec and Mia being apart for one single night since the baby was born," Mr Aivatoglou said.

"And there is no suggestion had the baby, who was in the care of her grandparents, been asleep she would have been woken up.

"But the couple were staying at Crown and they decided if Mia was awake and alert and happy, they'd take her down."

Family Council of Victoria secretary Bill Muehlenberg slammed the couple for their lack of parenting prowess.

"I hate to say it, but this is a couple known to cash in on wedding, babies, birthdays and anything of public interest," Mr Muehlenberg said.

"A national television appearance at a time most babies are in bed can't be in anyone's best interests.

"The wisest thing they could have done would have been to leave baby Mia at home with a babysitter, as most parents would have chosen to do.

"But I guess most of us aren't celebrities and don't have the temptation of cashing in on opportunities as they arise.

"Against an option of a babysitter or taking an infant out on a cold night, in to spotlights, and noise, my choice would be easy."

The Logies appearance of one-time Aussie TV star Steve Vizard also sparked controversy.

Vizard and Michael Veitch reprised their roles as gay flight stewards from the Fast Forward-Full Frontal era of the early 1990s.

Some felt Vizard's appearance was inappropriate given his recent business troubles but as one TV producer pointed out: "It was Steve and Michael who did the original sketch, so they got them to repeat it."

[MarMar]

Thank god someone else see the problem with those "parent's" behavior and treatment of their baby.

[H&A_FAN]

I totally agree with the article, they are probably rich enough already without publicising their baby who doesn't get any say in her appearances.

[claire_louise]

To be honest, I just think they're incredibly young, naive people who don't know a lot about parenthood and weren't ready to have a baby. They probably thought it was a great idea; anyone with an ounce of sense would not.

[Izzy H]

So what time did this award ceremony start and finish?

[leaglelou]

Oh for gods sake give them a break!! First the get criticised for "hiding" the baby to protect there deal with Woman's day then " the baby should be asleep". Expert psychologists who probably don't even have kids having there opinion just to get there mug in the paper! Kate Langbroek took her kid on Rove, Kasey Chambers had her kid on the panel, and a host of other celebrities bring there kids out all the time.

Australia as i know it has always been a pretty easy going country, lets not get to american now people. End of rant.

[-Tess-]

Yeah, maybe Mia was awake and alert. Or she sept befopre the awards, and then went after her appearance.

[~Lynd~]

I agree with most of that except the leave it at home with a babysitter.They live in Sydney.I wouldn't leave my baby there while i'm in melbourne.I don't like them but for god's sake leave them alone, who cares it's there lives.

[burr]

I don't really care about the baby being up late - it's one night, get over it, these things are always over-played. But it was just so tacky and awful and the matching dress, get me a bucket.

[Elise]

It just goes to show that some people should be parents and others should not