Thomas Rhett is dad to two adorable daughters, and the singer often shares photos of the girls on his social media pages, much to the delight of his fans.
On Thursday, Jan. 3, Rhett posted a shot of himself sitting on what appears to be a private plane with his 1-year-old, Ada James, in his lap, Rhett buckled in with a seat belt and Ada James happily hanging out with her dad.
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Rhett offered no caption on the snap, but that didn’t stop parent-shamers from having their say, with many people jumping into the singer’s comment section to harp on the fact that Ada James was sitting on Rhett’s lap without a restraint.
“Tell me why you have a seatbelt on but she doesn’t,” one person mused.
“And if only the private jet with the shoulder belts had seats that a certified child safety seat could be secured in….,” remarked another.
“There are videos showing strong turbulence and jerks in an airplane and kids who were being held by parents went flying,” wrote a third. “Isn’t it best to have them buckled in their own car seat in their seat?”
The FAA’s website notes that it strongly encourages parents to secure their young children in a child safety restraint system or device during flight rather than seat them on their lap.
Despite the criticism, Rhett had his supporters, including one person who pointed out that the photo may have been taken while the plane was still on the ground.
“People did ya think maybe they haven’t taken off yet?” they wrote. “I remember a time when you didn’t strap the kiddos in on a plane. You actually held them in your lap. But hey, I don’t know anymore. However, whatever the reason…MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!!”
Another fan shared their own story, commenting, “My daughter travels with me all the time and she was never belted in until she had her own seat (over two), and they tell you specifically to not put the child under yours. People are crazed when they have nothing better to do with their own lives!”
Someone else noted that Rhett and his wife, Lauren Akins, most likely know what’s best for their girls, writing, “Probably no need to judge their parenting. Pretty sure they got it.”
Rhett and his family was likely returning from a ski trip to Telluride, Colorado, though the Georgia native had offered fans a peek at his daughters’ cold-weather gear ahead of their time in the snow.
On Christmas Eve, Rhett posted a photo of Willa Gray and Ada James bundled up in winter coats, tagging apparel brand Roxy and writing, “The mountain ain’t ready.”
Photo Credit: Instagram / @thomasrhettakins
