A New Zealand mum has defended herself after Twitter users slammed her for a divisive joke on social media.
She was faced with heavy criticism after posting images of several kids' lunch boxes on Instagram - with non-alcoholic vodka cans slotted inside.
The lunches also included yoghurt, sliced apples, biscuits, and a chocolate muffin, but it was the faux alcoholic drink that incensed social media users, as reported by the Mirror.
"Perfect addition to school lunches too," she wrote on the post, assuming people would also get the joke. "Outraged" parents then shared her images to Twitter to comment on further.
"Wow, putting a non-alcoholic drink in a lunch box, how irresponsible," one parent commented, while another added: "Please tell me this is a joke... And a really s*** one."
READ MORE -
Although the cans don't actually contain any alcohol at all, many parents blasted the post for giving the wrong message to kids.
The mum in question, however, has clapped back, saying the post was "just a joke" that she likes to have with her plate class clients. She went on to add that she'd never intentionally send her kids to school with non-alcoholic vodka.
"I can't control other people's sense of humour," she told Daily Mail Australia.
"We probably don't parent the same, have the same friends or share similar political views. But that's okay - isn't it? I hope their concern didn't keep them up all night, they have kids to raise after all."
Speaking to the New Zealand Herald, the mum also explained that the cans had only "momentarily" been in the lunch boxes so she could take the picture for a joke, then removed them immediately.
We never thought there would be this much debate over NOT giving alcohol to children!
