Victoria Beckham penned an op/ed for Time magazine in honor of Mother’s Day. Oher columnists for the occasion included Ivana Trump, Sharon Osbourne, Sally Jewell, and Tina Knowles. Posh’s essay has to do with teaching her children about their own “privilege.” She wants them to know “humility” and not grow up to be spoiled brats. I like Posh a lot. She’s very self-deprecating and has a wicked sense of humor. I also believe she and David are very good parents to their brood of four. At the same time, I laugh at the thought of Victoria penning an essay on humility. Her very image (during and after the Spice Girls) has been built upon luxury and indulgence. Here’s part of the essay (the full version is here), and we’ll discuss:
Being a mother is simply the greatest achievement of my life. It has taken me on an unexpected journey that can constantly surprise, educate and confuse me! The emotional connection I feel towards my children brings boundless elation and joy as well as the inevitable worry and concern.
They are a wonder to me every day. From a teenage son through to a toddler daughter, each moment of every day is filled with different energies, activities, feelings and a lot of comedy. From playing sport to lounging on the sofa, each of my children fill every second with laughter, music and discussion. They are kind hearted and well-mannered and have incredibly enquiring minds, and I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by these phenomenal human beings.
Being in a position where they live such a privileged life, it is important that our children understand humility, that they appreciate how their parents have worked very hard to create this life for the family and that they, too, have a responsibility to work hard, be respectful and never, ever take anything for granted.
Like so many working mothers all over the world, I feel the constant struggle to be the best mother I can, whilst setting a good example to my children to work hard. I travel for work when it’s necessary, and I miss them all the time when I am away. But they hide notes in my suitcase, which I love to find when unpacking, and I always bring photographs of all the family and put them by my bed so they are the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see when I go to sleep. I love to hear their voices on the phone and seeing their faces–thank goodness for FaceTime. That sense of feeling connected makes being apart that little bit easier.
[From Time]
Vic goes on to say that women should support women, and mothers should acknowledge the hard work of other mothers. What she has to say in this essay is indeed admirable, yet I have no doubt that Posh used a ghostessayist to put her thoughts into a digestible format. I think her message is a good one, but it doesn’t jibe with Posh reality. Perhaps she and David do try and instill humility within their own kids, but Victoria is still quite spoilt.
Page Six just published an account of how Victoria’s known as “the worst hotel guest“ in the industry. She reportedly asks staff to clean her room, replace sheets, change towels, and vacuum multiple times per day. She’ll complain and demand a free room if her requirements aren’t satisfied. Presumably, Vic’s children see this happen. The Mail reminds its readers that Posh employs at least 10 full-time servants at all times. None of this is surprising from a woman who sat on a throne and wore a coronet at her own wedding. I’m not trashing Victoria if all this stuff is true. But it does makes her look silly to pen an essay on “humility” for Mother’s Day.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
You know, as a mere peasant mom raising three kids, when I think of mothers I really want to gain useful wisdom from, I totally think of Ivana Trump, Sharon Osbourne, Tina Knowles and Victoria Beckham.
What about Goop?
what about Duchess Kate?
I can only hope to model my parenting skills after those of Kris Jenner.
I think Minx wins….but everyone loses, if that’s the case.
I don’t have kids and even I wouldn’t take child-rearing advice from any of them. 😛
I loved Tina Knowles letter, I found it very endearing that it wasnt just addressed to her biological daughters and the details of how her “daughters” had her back when things went pear shaped with Matthew Knowles. Sure shes wealthier than me but I still related to what she wrote and I like her connection with her girls.
Minx LOL. You’ve left Dina Lohan off the list!!! Yes, Romeo is learning his lessons on not taking things for granted. He worked hard for that Burberry contract you guys!!!!!!
Jesus, these people ….
mia, spot on!!! I had the same thought!
Goodness! How absurd! Victoria talks about humility and how hard her parents work for their money? Please. A nurse works hard. A teacher works hard. Beckham’s maids work hard. Beckham, not so much. Fool.
I do think she has a great sense of humour but it’s overshadowed by her glaring insecurity. Her posing alone is exhausting to watch and it’s very rare you see what I think is genuinely her on camera.
I do agree they seem like great parents and a really happy and genuinely close family but I just wish she’d chill out.
Yes, she seems like she’s really fun and has a great sense of humor, but the pose hard is too much, plus she always has to get the ring porn into the shot. It creates a dichotomy within her own image, and if I were her, I’d take the fun, sassy, sarcastic part and lose the pose hard part — she doesn’t need it anymore, and it’s okay to smile.
hahaha, “ring porn”. Perfect term for it!
To me she has the personality of a display dummy. Ugh
Wel, someone’s had a little work done, hasn’t she?
She looks bizarre in those last pics.
she looks gaunt, no?
and is that a tiny stud in her upper lip?
or is it a
ZIT????
god forbid.
Her make up is hideous lately, why fill all the way to the brows with brown shadow? It looks sinister, her mothering …….whatever servants make everything easier, just ask Waity.
She looks like an Edward Gorey drawing.
I’m getting shades of Edward Scissorhands.
FYI: No one looks good in nude lipstick. And I mean no one. Please don’t kid your self. A little color on the lips, makes all the difference in the world. Even if it is just a Burt’s Bee chap stick with a hint of color.
If you are going to dedicate that much make up to your face. Especially all that crazy eye shadow. Then you need to go ahead and wear a little tint on the lips.
Other wise you look like Posh… posing so hard that she is about to snap in half. But all I can really see…. is that she looks unfortunate with her over lined upper lip. With all that tragic nude glossy lip stick.
C’mon ladies. Frosted pink shimmer……..
hahaha! do you remember the white shimmer shade of the 90s? There was a silvery one too. I know most teens had a stick and it was horrible. Of course we all thought we looked amazing. Lmao.
The 90’s make up was bad, but the 80’s was worse – the purple vibe that was happening during Pat Benetar’s rule. Uggh….purple blush, purple mascara, purple lip gloss, purple shimmer – even hairspray paint. We all looked like extras for the Rocky Horror Picture Show. It wasn’t good.
My 80’s were all about the pink.
There was a pearly bold pink lipstick, by L’oreal, that I adored. Oh my gawd, did I love that lipstick. Along with my big crazy bang filled hair do. haha! All sprayed into place with my aerosol can of Paul Mitchell Awapuhi smelling hair spray.
I do remember the purple. But it was a odd purple. One that had a lot of grey pearly undertones.
Hautie,
Are you talking about the pink frosted lipstick called, “Silver City Pink”??!!
Hudson Girl….
That L’oreal lipstick…. think of a bold pink watermelon color… with bold pearl frost. OMG. It was so obnoxious. But I loved it. I can’t remember the name. I could pick it out in a second, if I saw it.
As someone who has worked at a hotel she’s graced her presence with, I wouldn’t say she’s the worst guest, she’s knows how she wants things done it doesn’t make our job any easier.
Oh please dish!!!
If they are together, maybe she is ‘bad cop’.
I can believe that. David seems much more down to earth than Victoria.
And while they are spoiled at least her kids aren’t train wrecks. They do charity (Romeo I believe just ran a race for charity and he’s like 12) and their oldest (Brooklyn I think?) actually works a menial job. So I can’t hate them. They’re steps ahead of the train wreck that is Kylie Jenner. I just hope they grow up with some sort of work ethic and good values.
Oooh details please.
Their former bodyguard Mark Burley, said the same thing.
David was nice, sweet, kinda simple and genuinely involved with their kids. Victoria was mean as a snake and more distant. It was very much the case with Brooklyn as a baby. On their private plane trips David would do ALL the leg work feed him, change him, sing to him, but then hand the baby to Victoria once the paps were in sight.
Come one, she carried the four children for nine months, when a man does that you can say he did the heavy lifting.
So after they are born and David does the the heavy lifting, big deal.
Being pregnant is enough to call yourself a wonderful mother without actually taking care of your children? You’re kidding, right, Peggy?
@bluhare – Exactly. Heavy lifting is not AT ALL just that one stage. And its no big deal, but then why do the act for the benefit of the cameras?
Worse than Kidman? Even worse than JLo?!
Spill it, please!
Nicole? What does/did she do?
Hard to be too humble “whilst” married to Becks, I’m sure!
She is very superficial, she just hides it better than Goop or the Kardashians.
I like the Beckhams a lot. Or I should say I like the image they are able to craft through publicity. They present a drama free, child friendly, upwardly mobile, hard working image that is attractive and enticing. Their children seem well dressed and very well mannered in public. Both David and Victoria seem to work hard. I have no idea what they are really like but I like how they present themselves. They both, but especially Victoria, seem to have evolved over time. They are better or more mature now then earlier. That is not true of all celebrities. JLO today is much the same as JLO of 10 years ago just as an example. I had never heard of the hotel problem but if Posh wants a clean room everytime she leaves the hotel room it doesn’t terribly bother me.
She was on Ellen a few weeks ago and I got genuinely sorry for her. She clearly has some insecurity issues, especially with regards to her mouth. She kept covering it and the camera was cutting off every time she could get caught smiling or with her teeth exposed. She’s a beautiful and successful business woman and yet she doesn’t feel at ease being seen smiling. I know what it feels like (I used to do the same when I had braces as a teenager and even now, I am very self-concious about my mouth’s movements and the small white spots I have on my front teeth). :/
I have always wonder why Victoria did not get those teeth straighten. It makes such a difference in the shape of you face… and even how your lips lay… when you get oddly shaped teeth straighten up.
I don’t mean getting a mouth full of veneers or caps. Just a legit set of braces, can do wonders. And we all know she can afford to pay for them.
It is so sad to be her age and hiding her smile.
I know. I don’t get it either. She has the money and the means to have done whatever she wants, so why not have her teeth straightened if that’s what bothers her about them. I’ve never even noticed her teeth aren’t straight. I don’t understand what it is about them that makes her so insecure.
I think this is horse poo. Hotels, even very expensive ones, quite often have unwashed bed covers (not the sheets, but the cover blankets) and the turnover time for cleaning staff is negligible so often they aren’t cleaned to the right standard. Asking for that to happen is no big deal; it hardly makes her the worst guest.
I’ve asked for extra vacuuming. I hate that you can’t open a window these days. Hotels are gross, the end.
Unless it’s for work, I always rent an apartment when I travel. I like having a place where I can cook if I need to and I think it’s cool to feel like you’re living in whatever city/town you’re visiting. Hotels always feel so cold. They remind me that I’m traveling–ruins the experience.
I had a friend who worked at a hotel for awhile. She told me that the first thing we should all do when we enter our hotel room, is throw the bedspread in the closet and don’t touch it again. Make do with just the blanket and sheets. Apparently the bedspreads do not get cleaned and they are a cesspool of grossness. That’s probably why all bed spreads in hotels are awlays some awful busy print – to hide.
Don’t forget about the TV remote, that thing should come with a quarantine label.
If I had VB’s means, I would want my room steam cleaned from top to bottom before I event stepped foot in it. I’m finding hotel rooms gross me out more and more, even the very nice ones.
This makes me feel better because everybody I know thinks I’m a fusspot, difficult person for travelling with my own sheets, blankets and towels. Even if I’m staying in a 5star hotel. The thought of the horrid standards that hotels keep makes me shudder.
I’ve been to hotels where the sheets were disgustingly dirty and smelled. It means I never travel light, but I sleep in sheets that I know are clean!!
Thank you, I may never leave my house again. Lol
Yeah, I can’t hate on Posh either, sorry not sorry *hides*
Maybe she’s a neat freak? I guess Victoria’s demands aren’t too bad. As long as she’s kind and respectful toward the staff and a good tipper. I used to work at a hotel and I saw horrific things, much worse than what is described here.
Tina Knowles’ letters to her daughters were very sweet. She wrote a separate message to each of the ladies and also included Kelly Rowland and her niece Angie.
All that trope about taking pictures of the kids so they are the first thing she sees when she wakes? I think not.
I don’t trust anyone who waxes this rhapsodic about motherhood. Mothering is a job, and an endless, boring and difficult one much of the time. Of course we love our children but COME ON: parenting is WORK, not this little tableau of domestic bliss she paints. Aaargh!
Also she sounds really, really dumb. All that purple prose does nothing to disguise that her thoughts are mere regurgitations of women’s magazines and greeting cards.
Keeping it real.
I appreciate your candor.
Phew, I thought I was the only one who didn’t get her hype!
This mother’s day I saw a lot of backlash against mothers and celebrating the day. I thought about it and I concluded that a big part of the problem is the lies we all perpetuate with this false view of mothering. And I made up my mind to raise my daughter to understand that parenting is a JOB. I deeply cherish her, but the function that I perform as a mother is absolutely work, and because I am also employed as a lawyer and thus have two jobs, each suffers (and is augmented) by the other. I’m a better lawyer for having parented and a better parent for my professional skills; however, each job suffers on a daily basis for lack of time and energy. As a parent, because I get to “work” around someone whom I like and share genetic material sometimes the job (when it’s going well, not always due to my skills) is enjoyable, often it isn’t. I love my lawyer job most days. I guess I’m just beating this dead horse but my personal feeling, as a mother and a professional, is that motherhood isn’t magic, rather, it’s a function with a purpose: preparing a young child for adulthood. If that doesn’t seem like the best use of your talents and time then by all means do something that allows you to use your gifts…parenting is not inherently wonderful it’s just a requirement if you have a kid.
Not that I don’t think that you have validly explained your view and that you seem pretty level-headed, I think your perception of motherhood is unfortunate.
Its everything you said and it is also how Victoria describes it—a genuine blessing and gift that enhances life.
That you don’t hold both perceptions is a detriment imho. I mean you no disrespect but I think you are missing the boat.
I absolutely have no shade to throw here. If you went into a recently cleaned hotel room with a blacklight, luminol and/or a microscope you would run screaming from the room.
And I’m not talking about the microbes or dirt that are an inescapable part of biology – I’m referring to the gag inducing shortcuts cleaning staff take to get in, get out and tick one more room off their list. Being underpaid, overworked and mistreated by, well, everyone makes the situation even worse.
I’ve read before that this is why some celebs demand all white dressing roons and hotel rooms as well as an immediate change of linen when they arrive. They want to be sure the linen is sourced in plain sight from the repository.
If you understood why, you would demand the same.
🙁
Victoria doesn’t want to sleep or step in someone else’s body fluids. What a b!tch!
You made me lol!
I’m right there with you. I rely on my immune system to deal with whatever the previous occupants left behind (and, thankfully, it seems to be pretty good at that), but if all-white linens all the time were an option, I’d sure as hell go for that. There are some European hotels that actually do this as standard (with white duvet covers instead of a bedspread), and that is a feature that will make me more likely to patronize a hotel again.
All the hotels I stay in here in Aus have all white linen all the time. I can’t remember the last time I stayed in one that had a coloured bedspread.
Your last sentence “if you understood why, you would demand the same” kinda implies that we are stupider than VB, and THAT is why we just accept whatever crap the hotel throws our way.
I feel that it’s a very condescending way of putting it, if you read this thread, plenty of people are aware of how dirty hotels can get, it’s not exactly rocket science. The difference is, if we demand this, we will probably be asked to leave. Especially if people start asking for this en masse. So, we find other ways to make it work without harassing the overworked and underpaid cleaning staff, such as packing your own sheets and towels.
The difference is NOT awareness or cleanliness, the difference is in entitlement. She knows most hotels will bend over backwards to appease Victoria Beckham, we don’t have the same luxury.
And quite frankly, she’s not exactly staying at Motel 6. I am quite certain that top notch hotels that cater to super-wealthy like her have much much much higher standards than 90% of cheaper hotels, so quite frankly, all of this fuss described, if true, still strikes me as overkill. I’d like to know if she ever used a hotel pool, a spa, or a restaurant. Does she also make them rewash her dishes and silverware, re-treat the water in the pool, and wipe down an entire spa in her presence?
+1000
Timbuktu
I’m sorry it isn’t obvious but I was just sharing info not attempting to insult you or any other posters. As for the other comments pointing to the fact that, obviously, others know that hotels can be gross – many of them are replies to original posts. My post was an original one and few others had yet touched on the subject. Besides there is nothing wrong with discussing points other people probably already know about. But I didn’t mean to imply that the average traveler can/should demand a cleaner room – clumsy phrasing on my part.
As for better hotels having a better track record – that is an assumption that has been proven wrong already. If anything, the better hotels may be coasting on their reputation and presumptions of higher standards.
Add Posh to the list of middle-aged celebs who would so rock a pixie cut or, at the very least, something more Goldie Hawn-esque. Paltrow, Madonna, Posh, and Jerry Hall in the stylist’s chair NAOW!
Um, I kind of love love love her look in that last photo…in fact I just saved a copy of it into my ‘ideas’ file.
(runs and hides in shame)
I thought the same thing.
A long time ago, she was quoted as being “too busy” to read. hahahaha And then she names her daughter Harper because of Mockingbird. She’s full of it.
15 is right. while the less well-heeled have to cringe and bear it, celebs can demand and receive the white glove treatment. while celeb mothers have a different set of challenges they’re no less real than the average working mom. connection to one’s own offspring and taking up the challenge to raise well-balanced children who possess a work ethic should not produce eye-rolls. the end result should be the same: to raise healthy, well-balanced human beings who can contribute to the world in their own unique way. there is no substitute for unconditional love. and there is a world out there full of sad crazy people to prove it.
I’m too busy laughing at her try-hard posturing and posing for the cameras in heavy eye-make up to get through her essay.
And bending herself so awkwardly, she looks like she’s picking her panties out of her butt, while her husband is just…..standing there normal with a goofy grin.
On the one hand, she is a little excessive with being a hotel guest.
On the other hand, there are so many disgusting horror stories about hotels, that I can kind of get why she wants to make sure it is cleaned (just not multiple times per day…).
I just love her style and how she dresses. But I do wish she would smile a bit more especially when with her adorable children.
I kinda buy the humility thing. Doesn’t her oldest boy work at a coffee shop? Not sure if he still does, but I’m sure he did at one point.
I certainly don’t claim to know Victoria Beckham, but I will say this: her kids are most well mannered, polite, and delightful kids…ever. Some years ago, I sat a few rows behind David Beckham and two of his kids (boys) at Wimbledon outside of London. They must have been approached 9,457 times by spectators who wanted to speak to them, take quick snaps with them, etc. An usher tried hard to keep all activity to and from their seats only when the tennis players were switching sides, but I was awed at how gracious these two boys were, being interrupted every few minutes for over four hours by perfect strangers.
Without any obvious coaching from their father, both boys, one of whom was quite young at the time, stood, turned and shook hands with each fan, smiled and chatted, then sat down and resumed watching the match. Over and over and over. Their father could not have been prouder or more relaxed about it all.
That kind of natural graciousness doesn’t come out of thin air. Say whatever you want about how “spoiled” Victoria might be, but privileged doesn’t necessarily mean spoiled…and the kids are the proof in that pudding. Kudos to you, Mr. And Mrs. Beckham, and your lovely sons.
Awww that’s nice.
She’s gone from vapid narcissist to flat-out weird. That posing? The lame attempt at connecting with normal mothers? They live in a parallel universe.
It’s an open secret that he cheats on her left and right and she ignores it for the sake of their brand. The editor of Heat magazine published a memoir where he recounts witnessing them posing all lovey dovey the day some cheating scandal rumour broke, then going indoors and seeing her hitting him in the face.
I think wanting to get your hotel room cleaned has nothing to do with humility. If I go to a 5+ star hotel it is NORMAL to get my room cleaned 2 times a day. That is the standard. And for example I’m allergic to dust…so if theres a carpet floor in the room its okay to get it vacuumed. I agree, that she’s not the most humble person…but why bitch about her just because she likes clean rooms? 😀 If you pay so much for a luxury hotel room…it’s understandable to expect more than average and normal. I think the hotels are happy to have her! And maybe the staffers bitch abt her after…but who doesn’t bitch abt their job? As for her kids…they seem normal and okay. Maybe she has a lot of help…but who wouldn’t? A lot of ppl (including myself…and no, I’m not a millionaire) have gardeners, cleaning ladies, baby sitters…cooks, etc. No big deal. And to be honest…we literally know nothing abt how she raises or not raises her kids…so why judge? They def seem well mannered and more down-to-earth than most American celebrity kids.