When one mother put pen to paper as part of her blog on motherhood, her initial offering was lauded by thousands of internet users, but it looks like people have had a change of heart as a particular blog piece does the rounds again on various social media platforms.
Two years ago, Karen Albert wrote a letter to her daughter 'in the future' and found herself on the receiving end of considerable praise from fellow mums who complimented her no-nonsense approach to various issues including career, sex and relationships.
However, with the blog now finding its way back into the Twitosphere, some social media users have taken offence at the language Karen used when attempting to communicate with her daughter.
While Karen clearly advocates for a life devoid of fear, judgement or regret, some members of the public condemn the way in which she advises her daughter on these topics, with one internet user asking: "Who talks like this? This sounds like someone desperately trying to sound relatable and failing."
Drawing on her own experience, Karen told her daughter: "Get sh*tfaced once in a while. Some of my best bonding moments were when I had one (translation: four) too many cocktails with my girlfriends."
"Just don’t do any of the following while you’re sh*tfaced: walk home alone, drive drunk, or sleep with a guy. Even if he’s like ridiculously hot. No, not because he might turn out to be fugly when you’re sober. Consider this sh*t, if he’s that attractive, guess what else might be attracted to him. Herpes, genital warts, and crabs."
Protesting against Karen's style of writing, the same internet user said: "While there is some sound advice under the contrived bravado, it’s delivered in a disrespectful way."
Turning her attention to her child's future career path, Karen advised her daughter to properly consider the avenues available to her while simultaneously highlighting the pitfalls she may encounter along the way, writing: "There’s no such thing as a part-time investment banker. Or a part-time cardiac surgeon."
"They’re fabulous jobs, and yeah, I’d be proud as hell to say my daughter is doing a heart transplant, but I’d also be watching your kiddo all day, and I’m not sure how cool it would be for me to walk into your OR and say, “Here, take your rug rat. He just made a doodie and I ain’t changing it."
Reminding her daughter that she is under no obligation to follow the same route as her parents, Karen then wrote: "Notice how in that last paragraph I said one day you want to get married. I didn’t say you want to find a husband. Yeah, if you’re a lesbian, just tell us. Don’t beat around the bush. Wait, yes, beat around the bush but tell us you’re beating around the bush."
Condemning Karen's colourful choice of language, one blog reader asserted: "I understand it is meant to be humorous, but I would never in a million years want to have my daughter hear me speak to her that way."
"One day your boobs will droop so low they touch your ankles, and your elbows will make you wonder whether you’re one-quarter elephant, and your eyesight will be so bad you’ll fail to notice your one-haired goatee until it gets tangled in your necklace, and that’s when you’ll want a partner who’s not going to throw up in their mouth a little when they see you naked," Karen wrote when reminding her daughter of the importance of not settling in life or love.
Despairing of one mum's no-holds-barred approach to her daughter's future, another internet user simply wrote: "If this is the type of advise you are recommending a mother give to their daughter – it’s no freaking wonder society is going to hell in a hand basket." (sic)
Karen's blog has certainly divided opinion, with more recent commentators failing to see the merit in Karen's advice - What are your thoughts?
