So this article about mommy bloggers written by the notoriously blunt showbiz writer Lolit Solis has been circulating on Facebook. According to Lolit, she attended Mega Prime’s presscon featuring celebrity mommy Marian Rivera. She was appalled that there was a mommy blogger who brought a baby to the event. According to her, there was another one who brought unruly child who kept running around.
Blogger forums, especially mommy blogger groups, have been abuzz because of this article. Of course most were offended — Lolit did after all, discredit bloggers by saying there were only a handful of legit entertainment writers there. Shady Lolit, does this mean bloggers are not legit? Lol. When I was studying at the Ateneo back in the ’90s, we were shown an example of how not to be as a journalist or broadcaster. Our teacher played an episode of The Probe Team with Che Che Lazaro. In that episode, Lolit admitted to accepting “payola” (bribe money) when it came to dispersing “news” or “information” (I’m guessing about showbiz and politics since she was in entertainment). Based on that, I really don’t think she’s in any position to judge who is legit.
According to event attendees, Lolit’s account of what happened during the event is inaccurate. I wasn’t there so I only have secondhand information to go on.
Anyhow, the PR has already stated that they do not share Lolit’s sentiments with regards to what went down during the event. Apparently, the event was the launch of a mommy club by the said brand. A lot of mommy bloggers felt that it was okay to bring children. I never saw the invitation and I am not acquainted with the brand and PR so I have no comment about that.
So why am I posting this? Honestly, I was surprised at how some people felt entitled to bring kids to events (I’m not referring to this mommy club launch)… just because they’re mommy bloggers. One went as far as to say that it’s PR’s fault for inviting her knowing she has a child, so they shouldn’t mind if she brought the child along.
Now I’d like to give a little perspective, being someone who does PR work on occasion. It’s wrong to assume that just because you’re a mommy blogger, you can automatically bring a child or children to all events. Some events are not even appropriate for kids. It’s never a blogger’s right to bring additional people unless they actually ask the PR/brand and they’re allowed to. There are things to consider like space, food allocation, safety, comfort level, etc. So unless it is stated in the invitation that we can bring children or whoever, we shouldn’t feel so entitled. Let’s say a venue has 50 seats and they invite 50 people. If all 50 were moms and automatically brought kids, that would instantly double the number of guests to 100. Preparing for 50 is a lot different from preparing for 100.
Of course there are mom-and-kid events and family events. Those are a different story. The invitation would usually indicate that you can bring your child / children / family along.
Think of it this way, if you were throwing a party for 50 people and 100 unexpectedly show up, how would you feel?
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Hi, Miss Ro! Nice article! I agree with your sentiments. I seldom attend events because nobody can look after my kids especially the one with Autism. I have two sons, by the way, a teenager and a preschooler. When the event falls on a weekend, will be held near our place, and sounds educational and enjoyable, I say yes and I don’t assume that I can bring a kid with me. I just do when the PR mentions that a child can be brought to the event. To be fair with my two baby-wearing mom friends, when they are invited in an event, they tell their predicament to the PR that they can only attend when they can bring their babies with them. Pumapayag naman ang PR. 🙂 My friends also ask kung pwede if hindi man mabanggit sa invite.. 🙂 For them, it pays to ask first because, they believe that they are not entitled to just bring their kids with them. 🙂
Very common nowadays, if you’ll expect the number you thought it would be, you’ll be surprized! An allowance is always on the side, if not, you alone was to blame!
Reality bites, yet ignorance and common sense seems to be out of the way these days!
Goodeve Ms.Rowena I think it’s okay na magdala nman ng baby ang isang blogger kung appropriate nga naman po sa isang event and ur right po na hindi sa lahat ng events pwede ang mga bata may mga instances po kasi talaga na makulit and medyo maiistorbo yung mga nsa event mgnda din po yung ask muna ung organizer if pwede or hindi para na din po siguro sa sake ng blogger kasi nga naman kung 50 seats tpos mgdala siya ng anak mawawalan yung iba ng seats kasi counted na as one ung dala nia and also sa food po diba minsan bilang din po ata? kaya mas mgnda much better kung may pagiiwanan kay baby iwan muna si baby bago pumunta sa event.
tama yan! prang sa wedding guest list lang din. But for some events mhirap tlga may ksma junakiz khit ako hindi din ako ngsasama ng anak ko kasi bukod sa malayo hindi ka din mkkpgenjoy at may aasikasuhin kpa bata dika mkkpgfocus pwede sana kung required na ksma buong family hehe.
If it is a mommy event I still ask permission sa PR if I can bring my daughter, lalo na if hindi kasama sa email na “you can bring your kid”. Pero hindi ko talaga sya ( my daughter) masama sa event kahit mommy event for some personal and security reason na rin as her mom. If hindi talaga pwede or walang magbabantay I have to decline na sa invitation para the PR can give my slot sa iba pa na gusto umattend.
Though hindi rin maganda talaga basahin Ang article na sinulat ni Lolit Solis, siguro naman meron sya mas magaganda pa na maisusulat about sa event na yun kesa sa mommy na nagbreastfed ng baby.
I am not a blogger pero i like attending events and talks when it comes to mommy and baby matters like breastfeeding, baby wearing and etc. I bring my little girl if the event is for the babies and i ask naman if i can bring her kapag mommy events. If not allowed and the slot is limited i leave her at home. In that case, maybe si mommy blogger walang mapag-iiwanan kay baby.
Yes tama po kayo dito sa blog ninyo Ms. Rowena kailangan talagang mag adjust sa lahat ng event kasi usually Hindi lahat ng event appropriate ang kids or babies na isama. Mahirap magsama ng kids sa isang event kasi hindi ka makakakilos ng maayos. Pero if I need talaga ask ko muna if ok sa isang event ang para secure na man ang kids ko.
Well said ms. Ro! If I was in their place, or if I wads invited but I don’t have anyone to care for the kiddos at home I always ask first if it’s okay to bring a child along. this is what I usually do.
But most of the time if I can avoid it I don’t bring my kids because I know it will be quite hard to take photos and focus on asking questions when q&a time comes.
I would like to give benefit of the doubt that the moms invited who had kids were given permission by the pr that it’s alright to bring a child on said event… Also, if it’s a baby (kasi sabi yung isa nagpapabreastfeed) I’m super sure that hindi naman super nakaabala sa logistics ng food and seats yung bata… And lolit was not sanay na makakita siguro ng nagapadede na nanay kaya siya nainis.
But then again pare pareho tayo wala dun. I just find it ironic that lolit was there, in an event that has a topic for moms and she’s spewing this negativity afterwards…
I think need lang magpaalam sa pr o sa organizer ng event kung pedeng magdala ng anak. If hindi pede at walang mapag iiwanan sa kids, eh di wag nalang umattend. I’m a breastfeeding mom at walang kasambahay kaya mahirap umalis alis ng bahay. But now pede na kase magti 3yrs old na sya, pede ng iwan kay hubby kapag weekend.
Personally, I never assume that I can bring my kid/s to an event I’m invited to even if it is a Mommy event. If it seems kid-friendly yet the invite does not indicate that I can bring kids, I’d ask the PR during the initial correspondence (usually the first email reply) if I can bring one or both my daughters. Syempre gusto ko rin comfortable lahat — me, my kids, my co-attendees, and the PR group. Kumbaga kunsidirasyon na lang sa lahat ng taong andun.
Also, I don’t believe na because you’re a blogger e lahat ng events na invited ka dapat pupuntahan mo. I’ve declined events because I can’t leave my kids alone sa house, and the PR understood naman. It wouldn’t hurt to miss one, I think.
With Lolit Solis, let’s just take what she said with a grain of salt. Maaaan, sa pagiging credible, wala siya sa list ko. Haha!
This is a good reminder to bloggers who brings someone else (without permission) at events. Maybe those Mommy bloggers asked permission naman to bring their children and Lolit is just presuming, since she isn’t accustomed to attending events na ang writers ay pwede mag dala ng anak. I think it’s common courtesy to ask PR or anyone (friends, relatives, etc.) who invited you to an event if you can bring an extra person. Kaya nga may email or number indicated eh. Oh well!
Agree that it’s not good din nga to bring kids when there is a head count. I guess it’s a learning lesson nlng din for both sides na to be more considerate when or when not to bring kids 🙂