Jessie James Decker Still ‘Confused’ by ‘Ridiculous’ Backlash Over Her Kids’ Abs

Jessie James Decker was shocked at the reaction a vacation photo of her three children got when social media users criticized their prominent ab muscles. The “Should Have Known Better” singer opened up to Us Weekly in a new interview about the backlash she got after posting a photo of daughter Vivianne, 8, and sons Eric Jr. 7, and Forrest, 4, during a November 2022 beach vacation.

The Dancing With the Stars alum, who shares her children with husband Eric Decker, had no clue the reaction the family photo would spark. “You know what’s really funny is there are times where I will post something on Instagram and I will be like, ‘That may cause this but whatever’ or ‘That may be taken in a funny way, I don’t care.’ I literally posted that and didn’t even think twice,” James Decker told the outlet. “So hours go by and all of a sudden I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’ Like, I couldn’t believe the reaction. I was so confused but there was never one moment where it upset me.”

“I think if anything I was like, ‘This is so wild,’” she continued. “My kids are athletic, they are outside and genetics have a big play. Like, my siblings had six packs when we were kids and so did Eric and his sister. They were just genetics and my kids are extremely active and I’m not gonna apologize for it. There are a lot of times where I’m not gonna speak up about things, but they’re my kids and I’m a mama bear.”

James Decker continued to call the criticism “ridiculous,” noting how “proud” she is of her children, who are all active with sports and activities including dance. The Kittenish founder also defended the photo back in November, writing on social media at the time that the allegations that she edited the photo to give the children abs or was “overtraining” her kids “makes me realize how bizarre our world has gotten regarding the body and what’s normal and what’s not.”

James Decker told Us Weekly that her daughter is a gymnast, while her middle son plays football and her youngest is a dancer. “[Vivianne is] incredible and I’m very proud of her. She’s 8 years old and what are we gonna do? We’re gonna start calling out children who are active athletes?” James Decker explained. “She may go to the Olympics one day and we’re already gonna start body criticizing a little girl because she’s physically elite and fit? How about we encourage and lift up that she works so hard at something she loves so much and has a dream?”