In Defense Of Katie Holmes, Suri Cruise, And Carrying Your Daughter Everywhere

Suri CruiseIt’s a frequent refrain from celebrity gossip sites, “Why the hell is Suri Cruise carried around so much?” Most of them poke fun at it whenever the media-saturated family is mentioned. Tabloid toddler sites lament that there aren’t enough clear shots of her outfit. How are they going to pit her against Jessica Alba‘s daughter in a pint-sized version of “Who Wore It Best?” And there’s some truth to it, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise do seem to lug around their daughter pretty often. However, can I just take a moment to ask, what’s so wrong about that?

We’re talking about a family that is constantly followed by paparazzi. That’s a crowd of people you don’t know with cameras who would like you to do something crazy or memorable. This is not a group of people that I would want my child to have to confront. Picking her up blocks Suri from a lot of that.

Plenty of the time, Katie or Tom is taking their daughter to or from the car. It’s a two-second step onto a sidewalk crowded with people in the city. Personally, I think it’s probably a lot easier to pick your little one up than to try to drag them through a crowd. Once again, when there’s a lot of people around and you’re in a rush, I think picking up your child is probably like a reflexive instinct.

And yet, even though there are pretty logical reasons that Suri gets carried around, the media has used it as another example of how this little girl is spoiled or bratty. They’ve woven it into their narrative about a child that they don’t know at all. And they use these pictures of her being carted around to try to prove their viewpoint that she’s babied and pampered and not at all like other children her age.

Well, I’m sorry tabloids, but I still carry my four-year-old around whenever it suits me. I haul her into my arms in busy parking lots, when it’s easier than trying to have her cling to my leg as we weave through traffic. I pick her up when she’s tired or doesn’t feel well and we’re out running errands. She still rides around, legs wrapped around my torso, when we’re in a rush. My daughter is a very tall 4-year-old who often gets confused for an older child. I”m sure people look a little surprised to see me carrying her from time-to-time. But I do it, because it’s easier.

Do I think that carrying my little girl around occasionally spoils her? Not at all. And who even says that’s a bad thing? She still knows how to behave in a parking lot. She still gets plenty of practice. And believe me, she’s not hurting for exercise. Those few steps aren’t putting a damper on her activity levels. So really, who cares if a kid gets carried around past infancy?

I think most moms agree that carrying around a baby gives you biceps that never go away. There are just certain child-carrying muscles and you would be amazed how they develop. I remember my arms getting tired holding me niece for long stretches of time. With my own daughter, your body just gets used to it. Carrying around 40 lbs of kid simply isn’t that big of a deal.

I’m not going to convince everywhere to stop monitoring Katie and Suri’s every move. I’m trying not to get hung up on lost causes. But can we please leave them alone about Suri being carried around? She’s a kid. A young kid. And it’s completely normal and understandable that her parents still carry her, especially when they’re surrounded by fans, photographers and who knows what else every time they step outside their door.

(Photo: Michael Carpenter/ WENN.com)

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