Anyone see the picture of Brittney Spears...

[cepmom]

I don't see the big deal here. If you listen to parents from the 1960s, all the kids rode in the front seat, there were no car seats, seatbelts were rarely used. kids sat on you lap, kids laid down across the seats, etc. and most of us are alive to tell the tales! That does not mean of course that I am not a firm believer in car seats and boosters and we use them religiously in our cars. I don't even let my 11 year old ride in the front seat yet. But it is not that big a deal. I think people are being too judgemental.

cars also did not have airbags in the 60's either. There are many more cars on the road now than were in the 60's...the chance of getting into an accident are greater now because of that. Things are different now..it is irresponsible to not put a child in their carseat just because people didn't do it on the 60's, 70's whatever. I hear stuff like that from my in-laws too... Doesn't mean I would let my child live in a home laden with lead based paint just because I survived growing up in a house with lead paint.


ETA: I see Obi-Wan beat me to the lead paint comparison...

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

ETA: I see Obi-Wan beat me to the lead paint comparison...

GMTA

 

[Planogirl]

First 2 pics the window is down and the last pic it is up.

Feasibily--the first 2 pics could be taken in a parking lot. Can't really tell.

I corrected my comment.

I'm wondering if she rolled her window down a bit once she was on the road.

You know, papparazzi usually work alone from what I've seen. It looks like some idiot was driving next to her and taking pictures at the same time. Why can't these idiots just leave these celebrities alone?

 

[MICKEY88]

she needs to hire a new, competent bodyguard, any bodyguard worth employing, will take charge in any remotely dangerous situation,

if he's worth having he's licensed to carry a weapon, guys with cameras.vs. guy with gun, where is the danger,,,

hmmm sit in suv, you risk having picture taken...

drive off in panic, you risk being in an accident,

what danger, to the best of my knowledge there has yet to be an incident, of paparazzi, attacking anyone in a vehicle..

the only danger was that of being photographed without makeup, if that's her fear, then let bodyguard drive to starbucks alone. or put on makeup before leaving the house..

I personally like her and feel sorry for her, she was overwhelmed with fame at a young age and misguided by agents and such, but that doesn't give her the right to do something so utterly stupid...

 

[va32h]

I was sympathetic to Britney, until I actually saw the pics. Didn't look too panicked to me, with the windows rolled down and her bodyguard looked positively bored.

I suppose we should be grateful she wasn't trying to drink her coffee at the same time, too.

Britney is young, and not very well educated, having foregone high school for pop stardom, so it doesn't surprise me that she would do something so impetuous and lacking in common sense.

I do think it is good that she is getting so much flack though - it will encourage her not to do it again.

 

[Planogirl]

Some celebrities fear having their children photographed but Britney has already allowed pictures hasn't she?

 

[MrsKreamer]

Yeah she sold the rights to have her son's picture taken to People Mag, for a pretty penny too.

 

[Princess Dot]

I hear stuff like that from my in-laws too...

For all we know, she had been hearing similar things from her family too.

And for goodness sakes, of course I know and I'm sure she knows it is a law that children must be restrained while in the car. And I am not saying that I think it is fine to go riding around with a baby in your lap. All I was saying was that given the circumstances, I don't think it was this was the most horrible, irresponsible, parent from hell thing she could have done. She is still a young girl, a new parent and one in a situation that I'm sure none of us have ever been in.

 

[va32h]

Some celebrities fear having their children photographed but Britney has already allowed pictures hasn't she?

Allowed? Heck she invited People magazine, and sold those pictures. I did check the pics again, and I see that in the third one, the window is rolled up more than the first two. But I don't think the first two were taken when the car was parked, because why would you have your hand on the steering wheel in that position if you were just sitting in the car. Her body language totally shows that she is driving.

So if the window was rolled up while the car was moving, that means that she managed to hold the baby, steer the car, AND push the window-roll-up-button-thingy. Unless this vehicle allows for the passenger to roll up the driver's side window; I have never seen a car that does that. The driver's side has controls for the passenger, but not vice versa.

They are doing a segment on the Today show about it right now.

 

[Beth76]

I was sympathetic to Britney, until I actually saw the pics. Didn't look too panicked to me, with the windows rolled down and her bodyguard looked positively bored.

Yeah, me too. I just saw the pictures and I want to retract my earlier statement. She driving in traffic. I can't be certain, but it seems to me she's far surpassed her opportunity to safely get him in his seat.

 

[Planogirl]

Is this really newsworthy? Sure parents should make it a point to use carseats but why is this one incident on the morning news shows?

 

[MrsKreamer]

For all we know, she had been hearing similar things from her family too.

And for goodness sakes, of course I know and I'm sure she knows it is a law that children must be restrained while in the car. And I am not saying that I think it is fine to go riding around with a baby in your lap. All I was saying was that given the circumstances, I don't think it was this was the most horrible, irresponsible, parent from hell thing she could have done. She is still a young girl, a new parent and one in a situation that I'm sure none of us have ever been in.

That is a really lame excuse...

 

[azgal81]

I do not think she would purposely endanger her son. I think she is a good mom. I'm not going to judge her for these pictures. I don't think everyone here should be so quick to judge when you don't know her situation and you weren't there! She was probably surrounded by 50 papparazi and wanted to get away (has anyone seen pictures of papparazi and stars) there is usually mobs and mobs of them. I can't imagine what her life must be like going out to get coffee and being surrounded by people who want her picture. Apparently she is pregnant again as well!

 

[MosMom]

I don't know...just to be fair I think we should have to watch the pictures over and over again just like we had to when Michael Jackson dangled his baby out the window. Not sure which one is worse. Spread the love when it comes to exposing stupid pop stars.

 

[Princess Dot]

Some celebrities fear having their children photographed but Britney has already allowed pictures hasn't she?

But that is the point. She arranged for a staged photo shoot so that the pictures would be taken and hopefully she would not get chased around for the "first shot" of her baby. I have read that many celebs do this to avoid being hounded for candid pictures. The thinking is that if she allows some pictures on her own terms, then the public would be statisfied and there wouldn't be so much pressure to get a candid shot.

But this obviously doesn't always work.

 

[RitaZ.]

Anyone have a link to the pics?

 

[MoniqueU]

Just wanted to say this board is being 1000 times nicer then the board I got the pictures off of is. You should hear the things they are saying. I can't link because you have to be a member to read.

 

[MrsKreamer]

But that is the point. She arranged for a staged photo shoot so that the pictures would be taken and hopefully she would not get chased around for the "first shot" of her baby. I have read that many celebs do this to avoid being hounded for candid pictures. The thinking is that if she allows some pictures on her own terms, then the public would be statisfied and there wouldn't be so much pressure to get a candid shot.

But this obviously doesn't always work.

Actually she did that so she could sell the photos herself.

 

[kdibattista]

Anyone have a link to the pics?

They are on page 2 (I think) of this thread.

 

[va32h]

Apparently she is pregnant again as well!

Oh great - now we can have a tangential discussion about whether she should be drinking coffee in her first trimester!

(No, actually, I won't go there, because I drank caffeinated beverages while pregnant, myself).

Anyway, the Today show segment was very brief, showed the picture, then had a safety expert explain why babies should be restrained in the backseat and carseat safety in general. I think that Al & Ann's tone and body language showed that they were disapproving of what Britney did, but they didn't comment specifically on that.