Any parent will tell you there's no one-size-fits-all manual to raising children, and everyone has their own ideas about how you should parent.
There are many different theories surrounding whether parents should breastfeed or bottle feed, whether their baby should sleep in a cot or in their bed and whether you should just let them cry out, and the truth is, there's no right or wrong answer.
And yet one mum is facing overwhelming criticism online, after she revealed her own personal stance on potty training her child.
Mum Alice ( @comingupfern ), who has an impressive following on social media for her content around a holistic approach to parenting, was recently asked by one her followers when she plans to start potty training her 14-month-old son, Fern.
"When and how do you plan to potty train Fern? My son is 22 months and I don't feel he is ready. I think we're just going to follow his lead," the follower asked.
Alice replied by sharing an adorable clip of Fern splashing around in a pool and writing: "We aren't going to potty train him at all. When he asks to use the toilet we'll show him how."
However, the comments section was quickly filled with questions from confused followers, with many berating the young mum for her parenting methods.
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"Kids need guidance… You are the adult. They look to you for it. So it’s up to you to tell him when it’s ready to start trying," one follower commented,.
Meanwhile, another added: "Wait. So what if he’s 5 and still hasn’t asked to ‘use the toilet’? Will he go to school in diapers?"
A third even went so far as to accuse the mum of "neglect" due to her parenting style.
Fortunately though, many others were very understanding, with one suggesting people may have misunderstood what Alice was trying to say.
"I think she means she'll teach him when he starts to show interest, which is what you're meant to do," they suggested.
Another TikTok user commented: "Y’all mad she won’t force him to use a toilet before he’s ready. The only reason is convenience. Most kids are ready by 4 without potty training."
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