> At a Glance
> – Christine Brown’s daughter Mykelti, 29, faced online criticism after letting her three children use iPads during a road trip
> – She received “massive amounts” of hate DMs for the parenting choice
> – The family was driving four hours to visit sister Ysabel in North Carolina
> – Why it matters: The incident spotlights ongoing social-media pressure on parents over screen-time decisions
Mykelti Padron says she was bombarded with judgmental messages after handing iPads to her kids on a recent car ride. The brief video she posted Thursday, Jan. 8, quickly became a lightning rod for mom-shaming.
The Backlash
Mykelti explained that both she and husband Tony Padron were occupied-she scrolled on her phone, he listened to a podcast-so she gave tablets to Avalon Asa, Archer, and Ace to keep them happy on the four-hour journey.
> “I hate when I get judged for how I raise my kids.”
She stressed that adults routinely use devices while traveling and sees no issue with children doing the same for a single trip.
Support Rolls In
While critics slammed her, many commenters rallied behind her stance:
- “iPads all day long, not playing outside, etc. is bad. Using iPads to watch a show or play while on a long drive is totally ok!”
- “Your kids your business!!”
- “They are your babies, you don’t need to justify your parenting decisions.”
Mykelti captioned the post, “Cut Mom Shaming in 2026.”
Relocation Context
The road trip doubled as a relocation journey. Mykelti revealed in July 2024 that the family left Utah for Charlotte, North Carolina, to be near younger sister Ysabel, who moved there in 2021. Christine Brown suggested on Sister Wives that strained relations with Kody Brown also nudged the cross-country move, though Mykelti has cited Tony’s professional chess career as another motivator.
Key Takeaways
- A four-hour car ride ignited fierce debate over screen time for kids
- Mykelti argues parity: adults use devices, so children can too
- Online reaction was split between criticism and solidarity
- The family recently relocated from Utah to North Carolina to stay close to relatives
The flare-up underlines how quickly everyday parenting choices can become public flashpoints in the age of social media.
