Gemma McCaw calls out parenting critic: 'I'm just a mum trying to do my best'
Olympian Gemma McCaw has called out criticism she faced after taking a walk with her kids in the rain.
The Black Sticks player, who has represented New Zealand three times at the Summer games, shared an image of her children, Charlotte, 3, Grace, 2, and Ella, 7 weeks, in the park on Saturday to her Instagram Stories. Charlotte is on a bike, next to her sisters in a pram and a buggy.
"To the person this morning who criticised me this morning for being out in the pouring rain with my kids, please know I am just a Mum trying to do my best by getting some fresh air on a day like this [sic]," McCaw wrote. "They were all safe and warm, despite Charlotte not wanting to wear her jacket, it was with me under the pram."
She finished the caption with the heart hands emoji.
READ MORE:
* Gemma McCaw wants to show daughter Charlotte what following a dream looks like
* Gemma McCaw says Richie McCaw is daughter Charlotte's 'favourite parent'
* Gemma McCaw 'ridiculed' from sideline during National Hockey League return
* Gemma McCaw shares an adorable video of baby Charlotte and it's the cutest thing you'll see all day
* Richie and Gemma McCaw release second baby photo
It's not clear who criticised McCaw, whether her story was a response to a face-to-face interaction, or a message via Instagram, or what the criticism was.
Later in the day, McCaw posted a second story, with a message to her supporters.
“Thank you for all your beautiful kind messages – I don’t know why this comment hurt more today. Maybe it’s the sleep dep, the Gastro bug earlier this week, juggling 3 kids under 5 & and getting out the door on my own (sometimes when it rains it pours) but a huge thank you to all those people who constantly support mums,” McCaw wrote, with a smiling face emoji.
“Never underestimate a kind word or gesture. (which I also got today. Isn’t funny how we always focus on the negative?) [sic].”
She went on to say that mums are already hard enough on themselves, and that support can make a huge difference.
Fresh air and rain is, “good for the soul”, she wrote, and would “always choose” to take her children outside into nature.
“To anyone else out there doing and giving your best, I see you, and what I’ve learnt today is don’t let anyone rain on your parade.”
McCaw and her husband, former All Black captain Richie McCaw, welcomed their third daughter, Ella, in April this year. The sporting couple announced her arrival on Instagram with a photo Richie holding Ella, dressed in cream-coloured knitwear.
“We are enjoying these precious moments as a family of five,” the caption said.
Stuff has reached out to Gemma McCaw for comment.