A simple family photo has turned into a loud online argument about boundaries, affection, and what people think is “normal” between parents and kids. Nikki Garcia, the WWE star many fans remember as Nikki Bella, posted a set of pictures from a day out with her son Matteo, who is 5. One image showed Matteo kissing his mom on the lips, and that was enough to set off criticism from strangers. Garcia said the reaction reminded her exactly why she usually keeps her child off social media.
Garcia addressed the blowback on SiriusXM during an episode of the podcast ‘The Nikki & Brie Show’, which she co hosts with her twin sister Brie. She explained that she disabled comments on the post, and she did not pretend it was just about protecting her peace. “It’s so weird. I mean, there were quite a few reasons why I turned my comments off on that post, and it just goes to show why I don’t put my son on social media,” she said. She added that the volume was not massive, but it was enough to bother her.
What pushed her over the edge was how confident some commenters felt about judging a moment they did not understand. “It was enough to bug me where like, ‘I can’t believe she kisses her son on the lips, he’s 5,’ and I’m like, dude, I can’t believe you’re so bothered by it and annoyed. That’s crazy to me,” Garcia said. To her, the criticism did not come off as concern, it felt like policing. She also described the tone as disrespectful. “It felt so rude,” she said, as she talked about being fed up with people who turn her child into a topic.
Garcia shared more context about the photo itself, framing it as spontaneous and tied to her son’s excitement. Matteo had been thrilled during a trip to Legoland in California, and the kiss happened in the middle of that joy. “In that photo that’s on the cover photo, Matteo, that was his first time seeing Lego Santa, just the Lego version. He got so excited, so the lady was just taking photos,” she explained. In her telling, it was not staged, it was a kid having a big moment and reacting with affection.
That is where her frustration becomes more personal than celebrity gossip. Garcia said she would feel heartbroken denying her child that kind of closeness if it was offered innocently. “First of all, I love my son so much and I feel bad if your kid wants to kiss you on the lips and you tell him no. I think that’s sad because I don’t know what that would do to them mentally,” she said. Whether people agree or not, she clearly sees the kiss as comfort and bonding, not something that should be sexualized by outside observers.
She also pointed to how quickly the internet turns parenting into a spectator sport. “It’s weird when people put opinions on your kids and … this is why I don’t post him because I love my kid to death and do you think I want to read this stuff about him?” Garcia said. In that one line, she captured something many parents recognize, which is that posting a cute moment can invite strangers to comment on your values. Even if the comments are not constant, it can change how safe a parent feels sharing family life publicly.
The conversation did not stop at that one image either. Garcia said people also reacted to a separate moment from the podcast when Matteo appeared and they exchanged kisses. She recalled seeing clips spread around on social media with accusations that she was pushing him into it. “It was such a great moment, and then, you know, when he popped in on our last episode and we gave him kisses, people were putting that on Twitter, like, ‘I can’t believe she asked him for a kiss,’ ” she said. Her response was blunt. “I’m like, ‘You’re wild,’ ” she added.
Behind the debate is a bigger question about how families show affection and how much those norms vary. In some households, a kiss on the lips is seen as ordinary, like holding hands or hugging. In others, it is considered inappropriate after toddlerhood, or not acceptable at any age. The intensity of the argument often says more about cultural expectations and personal discomfort than it does about the specific parent and child in the photo.
Garcia’s story also includes the reality of being a public figure who is still trying to be a normal mom. She welcomed Matteo in 2020 with ‘Dancing with the Stars’ pro Artem Chigvintsev, and their relationship has been widely covered. People reported that the couple married two years after their son was born, and later split after Chigvintsev’s arrest, with Garcia filing for divorce in September 2024. Those details matter because public scrutiny does not just land on the celebrity, it can spill onto the child.
In past interviews, Garcia has talked about motherhood as something she wanted for a long time, which adds another layer to why she bristles at being judged. “It’s something I’ve dreamed of my whole life,” she said in an earlier comment to People. “I can’t imagine life without being a mom and experiencing the miracle of life and raising a child. I’m just so family-oriented that I couldn’t imagine not having that family life.” When you see that perspective, it makes sense that she reacts strongly when affection is framed as something shameful.
There is also a practical side to this discussion that parents weigh, even when it is not the focus of the outrage. Health organizations note that some infections can spread through oral contact, which is part of why families make different choices about kissing. The World Health Organization explains that “HSV-1 is mainly transmitted via contact with the virus in sores, saliva or skin surfaces in or around the mouth.” That does not mean a parent is doing something wrong, but it does show why people set boundaries differently depending on comfort and circumstances.
Another helpful lens is consent and body autonomy, especially as kids grow and start deciding what feels right for them. Cleveland Clinic pediatric psychologist Katherine Corvi puts it this way, “The kids are the experts of their own bodies, so we should be teaching them that they know what feels right for them and what doesn’t feel right for them.” That approach can apply whether a family is a huggy family or a high five family. It also helps explain why some parents focus less on what outsiders think and more on what the child wants in the moment.
For readers who know Garcia mainly from WWE and reality TV, her broader career context helps explain why her parenting choices are constantly under a microscope. She rose to mainstream fame through WWE and later appeared on shows like ‘Total Divas’, which blended performance with personal life. Social media has only intensified that exposure, turning everyday parenting into content that can be screenshot, reposted, and judged in seconds. When a private family moment becomes public debate, the conversation can drift away from the child’s reality and toward strangers projecting their own rules.
Where you land on the issue might come down to your own upbringing, your culture, and how you think about boundaries as kids get older. Some people will see the kiss as sweet, others will find it uncomfortable, and many will simply say it is not their business. What is clear is that Garcia is drawing a line about who gets to interpret her relationship with her son. She is also reminding parents that sharing online can invite opinions you never asked for, even when the post is just about a happy day out.
Where do you stand on parents kissing their kids on the lips, and what should matter most when deciding what is appropriate, share your thoughts in the comments.
