‘Counting On’ Star Joy-Anna Duggar Slammed for Letting Son Gideon Lick His Plate

Joy-Anna (Duggar) Forsyth’s 2-year-old son Gideon’s love of food is proving controversial. After the Counting On star took to Instagram on Wednesday, Dec. 4 to share an adorable photo of her son licking his plate clean, the mom-shamers came out to slam Forsyth for allowing her son to be a “plate licker.”

After Forsyth shared the photo, joking that Gideon “got his love of food from me,” one fan seized the opportunity to critique her parenting, accusing the TLC reality star of allowing her toddler to have bad manners.

“Please DONT let him be a ‘plate licker!’” one person wrote. “It’s a deplorable habit as an adult!! Go ahead everyone send me the hate messages, but you know it’s true!! Gideon is so cute but habits are hard to break (aka uncle Joe).”

The poster went on to write that plate licking “is very bad manners” and that they “Hope joy & Austin teach him better.”

Although a handful of others seemed to agree with the commenter, many more immediately jumped to Forsyth and her son’s defense.

“It is not bad manners if you only do it at home,” one person wrote. “Let people live how they want too not how you want them too.”

“oh good lord, seriously? Does it have an affect of your life?” another asked. “This girl cannot post anything without someone trying to tell her how to parent. Who cares?! I licked my plate at home as a kid but I grew out of it!”

“It’s also bad manners to Mom shame and pass judgement, especially on a baby!” a third hit back, adding the hashtag “get a life.”

Thankfully, many fans took no issue with the innocent and adorable act, many praising the tot for is eagerness to eat.

A boy after my own heart !” one joked.

“Uncle Joe’s plate licking habit has rubbed off,” another added.

“Plate licking good!!! Love this pic!!!!!!” commented a third.

Duggar’s photo also gave fans a peek into her family’s life in their new home. After living in an RV for the better part of the year as she and her husband flipped houses throughout Arkansas, the couple finally decided to settle down for good, revealing in November, that they had purchased a home for themselves. After spending a few weeks renovating, the family finally moved into their new home early this month.