Remember Wednesday when we told you “106 & Park” had the genius idea to start an #AskDraya hashtag on Twitter where fans could send questions to the “Basketball Wives LA” cast member in anticipation of her appearance on the show Thursday?  And remember how quickly that seemingly innocent idea went downhill when every single person involved asked Draya questions related to her lack of parenting skills — like “on a scale of Helen Keller to Ray Charles how often do you see your son” — and the shade was so strong #AskDraya was actually trending for a while?

Well when the reality TV star actually headed to the “106 & Park” stage to co-host with Bow Wow yesterday evening, it was only natural that she’d address all the negativity that came her way — and more importantly the allegations that she remains the epitome of a bad mother, even after the increased fame and money that’s come with being on a VH1 show. Sitting with her co-host for the day, she attempted to clear her bad mother name, saying:

“Well, the first thing is, of course, I don’t expect people to understand my life because it’s my life. I’m not a bad parent in anyway. And I’m lucky enough to have fans who actually followed me on the show and they know the path  that I’m try to choose and set for my family and the direction we’re trying to go.”

When it came to the subject of how she deals with haters, which appears to be the name being given to those who assume she’s a terrible mom, she said:

“Well, I got so many. I’m starting to think that they really don’t hate me. I think they are confused and they are admirers. That’s what someone told me, haters are confused admirers. I don’t deal with them. I just let them hate on their own… I just feel like if you’re thinking about me — negative or positive — you’re still thinking about me.”

I guess.

You can check out everything else Draya had to say about her life in the video below. What do you think about her bad parenting rebuttal?

Image Source: WENN.com

Not sure if you saw earlier in the day, but in a link post from our friends over at HipHopWired.com, they reported that in anticipation of reality star Draya Michele co-hosting 106 & Park this week, BET was conducting an #AskDraya Twitter conversation. But seeing as how folks love to behave in an uncouth fashion on Twitter, all the questions were negative ones that claimed that she’s a bad mother who is too busy hosting parties in the club to be at home taking care of her son (“Your son basically a orphan b***h I bet you ain’t even know where he at right now.”). This was a constant topic of conversation during the first season of Basketball Wives LA when her past of being arrested for child endangerment was dug up to be judged by her co-stars. Here’s one of the harshest Tweets from the failed #AskDraya session that turned into a trending topic, that turned into a bully fest:

Ouch.

Not one to sit back and let people disrespect her or her success (oh yeah, or her parenting skills), Draya took to her Twitter to calmly remind folks that while they’re so worried about what she’s doing and hating on her, they need to be out here getting their own money and life.

Immature haters. I have the same 24 hours in a day as u. You use your time to hate tweet me instead of getting money. #madatme4what ?

Ahhhh 6 days until I move my mom and son to California !!!! #whathaveyoudoneforyourfamilylately?

RT @1Elle_Cee: Haters come with success embrace it let them hate @DrayaFace <— oh yeah that’s right

Naysayers keep me fueled up.

And this is why I don’t mess with Twitter. The foolery is at an all-time high. Let us know what you think of the unfortunate backlash she received on Twitter and her response to it all below!

There’s this certain cry that children do that makes a parent feel that if they don’t give that child exactly what they want, they will surely suffer from paralyzing pain.  If it’s not a cry, it’s a look, all bright-eyed and bottom-lipped, that demolishes your defenses and makes you completely forget anything your little one has done wrong.  As I see my thirties anxiously approaching, I am surrounded more and more by friends who are falling victim to that cry or that look.  As the holidays approach they break their backs working overtime to afford Christmas presents so that their kids can live the holiday fantasy sold by Macy’s and Target commercials.  Instead of implementing a routine of rewards and consequences, some children are being taught that any and everything is worth celebrating and regardless of what behavior they choose to display, in some way they will be recognized and rewarded.  I’ll never forget a student I once had who received a party bus celebration to the Jersey Shore, despite the fact that she had been suspended from school several times during the year.  When I asked how she managed to pull off still getting a Super Sweet Sixteen type of bash despite her disobedient behavior, she and her girlfriends responded, “But it’s her Sweet Sixteen!?”

In some ways, I understand the want for parents to provide their children with a lifestyle they’ve never experienced.  Some single parents, especially burdened by the guilt of a “broken family” feel the need to make up for the absence of the other parent, and end up overcompensating for this absence materialistically ignoring the reality that all the Air Jordans in the world can’t replace an in-the-flesh father.  What some parents fail to realize is that by buying and doing everything for their children, even when they are young, they are doing them a huge disservice in the long run.

I can appreciate that my parents raised both me and my sister with a healthy balance of comfort, work ethic, and responsibility.  We had nice things and never had to worry where our next meal was coming from or fear being embarrassed by our clothing.  But we also witnessed how hard our parents worked for all of the nice things we possessed and we had a decent understanding that our behavior had a direct influence over any “extras” we received.

It’s important to encourage your children’s independence and allow them to make mistakes because this is how they learn to make positive decisions and navigate the real world without you. It troubles me when I see mothers out job-seeking for their teenagers and filling out job applications on their behalf, but it explains why we have a generation of young adults who don’t know how to write a check, fill out a form or advocate for their wants and needs.

Many parents spoil children out of worry that their children will hold resentment or not love them if they don’t give them everything they want.  They fail to find a balance and either give their children everything they ask for or giving them nothing at all.

So where do you draw the line between attending to your child’s wants and needs and not getting taken advantage of?  It’s important to realize that children are needy by nature.  You are not spoiling your child by showing them affection; there’s no such thing as too many hugs and kisses.  A big part of being a nurturing parent is comforting your children when they are upset or in pain, feeding them and playing with them.  You shouldn’t substitute these basic duties with money or material items.

Think you may be creating a monster?  Here are few clues that you are spoiling your child rotten: