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Leona O'Neill: Katie Price's holiday snaps cause online stir

Katie Price caused controversy last week by posting photos of her family holiday online. Leona O'Neill advises the former glamour model to think more carefully about the images of her children that she chooses to share with the world

Former glamour model Katie Price has been criticised about holiday photos of her nine-year-old daughter Princess
Former glamour model Katie Price has been criticised about holiday photos of her nine-year-old daughter Princess Former glamour model Katie Price has been criticised about holiday photos of her nine-year-old daughter Princess

ANOTHER month, another Katie Price controversy hits the headlines.

This time the former glamour model turned entrepreneur has found

herself in hot water after she posted photos of her nine-year-old daughter

Princess online, striking poses many thought were inappropriate.

In the last number of weeks the mother of five had shared snaps online from a family holiday in the Maldives featuring her husband Kieran Hayler and children Harvey (14), Jett, (3) and Bunny (2) as well as Princess (9) and Junior (11).

One of the shots showed the entire family posing on a banana boat. In the picture daughter Princess is pulling a near-identical pose to that favoured by her glamour model mother – a Jordan-esque arched back and

pout – causing the internet to go wild with condemnation.

Many accused Katie of sexualising her daughter allowing her to display

moves that were unnatural for a child her age. Many defended Katie,

claiming that all little girls like to copy their mums. And Princess's mum

made quite the fortune by posing for pictures while striking risque poses with very little clothes on.

Katie brushed the criticism off and continued to keep her fans happy by

documenting every aspect of her holiday, posting pictures of her scantily

clad self alongside sweet family pictures of her children.

But she caused further outrage after posting a picture of Princess posing in a bikini – again, striking a pose preferred by older models – and a further one of the little girl pouting and wearing a kaftan that was open, baring part of her chest, prompting her followers to say that it was 'too suggestive' and

'inappropriate'.

One said: "Nice pic of Princess she is beautiful, but the fully unzipped

chest kind of makes me want to vom... she is way too young for this kind of

thing."

Another slammed the model by saying: "The fact she isn't wearing a

top underneath makes it worse, let her be a child and clothe her properly

until she's old enough, there are some creeps out there who would see this

in a different way."

Katie is no stranger to controversy. It wasn't that long ago she was being

slammed for publishing a photograph of her young daughter in full make-up and just last week she posted a photo of her two-year-old daughter Bunny with her face and legs covered in fake tan after she got into mum's make-up bag.

Katie is a woman who doesn't seem to mind the criticism.

As she says herself, she may very well be posting these photos completely innocently and it is society that has the problem. But the fact of the matter is, there are some really sick human beings out there who are attracted to young children and handing them images such as this does no one any favours.

Katie has a certain lifestyle. She has made her money and achieved

household name status by showing off her body and being highly sexual.

Little girls have copied what their mums do since time began. Whether that

is walking around in their high heels, messing about with their make-up or

copying their job.

Katie will do what she does. I doubt she'll take advice from me or anyone else. She is a strong, independent, very wealthy and popular woman and an inspiration to many, including her daughter.

But she should perhaps stop and think about the less that desirable elements out there who could very well be leering over her little girl. To be frank, the

thought of it makes me physically sick.

As mums, we can only do our best for our kids. We can try and keep them

young and innocent for as long as possible. The world can be a big, bad,

scary place. It's better to battle-ready your kids and give them the tools

to cope with all it's challenges.

I, for one, am going to teach my daughter to keep her heels and her standards high.