Since its inception, the internet has been the battleground for many debates, from the serious to the silly. However, a recent video showing a mother using a handheld Braun electric mixer to make bubbles in her baby’s bathwater, has the internet divided on whether this is a silly video of a mum and bub having fun or a serious issue of questionable parenting.
In the 38-second video, baby Max stands in the bathwater with his hands against the wall and dances as his parents sing the words to “Bubble Butt,” a 2013 hit from artist Major Lazer that features a music video with the bouncing bottoms of several woman who wish they had Max’s dance moves.
To give Max the full MTV experience, Max’s mum uses an electric beater to turn bath time into a family bubble rave, complete with mum and dad on beat boxing duties.
Being a fun and innocent video, it didn’t take the internet long to decide that their unwanted opinions were needed, and turn the whole thing into a critique on parenting and appropriate conduct with electrical appliances in the bath.
“Poor child, you can’t choose your parents, especially ones as utterly thick as these two muppets,” writes one commenter, with another asking: “Really people? Using device in water that can cause electrocution?”
Others defended the parents, stating the rather obvious fact that mixers are normally used for liquids anyway.
“Those are designed for liquid and are double wall insulated,” explains a commenter. “Not only that, but all outlets is bathrooms are required to be GFCI protected, which means once a short happens in the slightest the circuit is turned off.”
“Hilarious, you guys crack me up! And as far as the egg beater, it is commonly used in liquids when baking,” writes one supporter.
While beaters were designed with water in mind, it’s highly dubious to think they used it on a baby in a bath during product testing. It should also be said that no harm came to Max, who seemed to rather enjoy the experience, although the video may come back to haunt him in years to come. Whether he was at risk of electrocution is doubtful, though when it comes to the safety of children, everything is a risk.
But while the internet may be divided on the silliness and seriousness of the video, most can agree that advocating the use of electrical appliances as part of a baby’s bath time is perhaps something not to be encouraged.