Megan McKenna posted a series of family photographs from a Mallorca holiday on Tuesday, sharing images of her 11‑month‑old son, Landon, with husband Oliver Burke after addressing online criticism about his developmental milestones.
The former TOWIE star wrote on Instagram that she had been feeling "a bit rough" and therefore had not been cooking, before adding: "Just Landon living the life in Mallorca on film… Isn’t he just the most smiley baby." Burke commented "King" under the post and McKenna replied jokingly, "all hail King Landon."
McKenna made the post days after she publicly rebuked a comment from MasterChef contestant Bernice Marie that suggested McKenna was a "bad mum" because Landon had not yet started crawling. McKenna said the comment, later deleted, prompted her to set out facts about infant development and to defend her parenting against what she called "mum‑shaming."
In an Instagram video she explained that crawling can occur from about seven months to 13 months and that some children skip crawling altogether and move directly to walking. McKenna said Landon was "on the verge, moving and on his knees," adding, "he just hasn't been able to do the actual moving with the knees." She said she usually avoids engaging with critics but felt compelled to respond in this instance.
Fans quickly rallied to McKenna's defence on social media, with some describing their own children as late crawlers or non‑crawlers and urging others not to put pressure on developmental timelines. Several commenters praised McKenna's devotion to her son and criticised the original remark. The reaction underlines ongoing tensions on social platforms about parenting standards and the scrutiny public figures face when sharing family images.
McKenna, 32, who has documented aspects of pregnancy and early parenthood in the public eye, has previously discussed parenting decisions with followers. Health authorities and paediatricians generally advise that while developmental milestones offer guidance, individual children progress at their own pace and that parents concerned about development should consult medical professionals.
The Instagram holiday photos show the family together at a pool; in one image McKenna sits with Landon wearing sunglasses while other images show Burke with their son. McKenna's post did not indicate any further public response to the deleted comment beyond her Instagram video explaining Landon's progress.
Online exchanges about parenting milestones have become a recurring feature of celebrity culture as social media amplifies both supportive and critical voices. McKenna's post and subsequent response drew attention to the debate over what constitutes appropriate public commentary about children and the line between casual observation and shaming.