Jessie James Decker responds to photoshopping claims after people comment on her kids' bodies

The country singer came under fire recently after posting what some thought was an altered photo of her kids on vacation.

ByYi-Jin Yu ABCNews logo
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Jessie James Decker responds after people comment on her kids' bodies
The country singer came under fire recently after posting what some thought was an altered photo of her kids on vacation.

Jessie James Decker is speaking out after critics and online trolls left negative messages on her Instagram account and commented on her children's appearance in recent photos.

The country pop singer and mom of three recently shared photos and video clips from her family's vacation in Mexico over the Thanksgiving holiday. In one Instagram post on Nov. 26, Decker's three kids are featured front and center.

"Vacation Decker style," Decker wrote in the accompanying caption, adding a flexed biceps, coconut and palm tree emoji.

In the post's comments, some Instagram users criticized how the children looked, with some assuming Decker had edited or altered the photo with an app somehow to make her children appear more athletic.

"Surely this is an app but I don't see anyone saying as much," one user commented.

Decker was not having it.

"Yeah I used an 'ab' app on my small children wtf," Decker, 34, replied ironically.

In another reply to a comment left by a now-deleted Instagram account, Decker asked other parents to not comment on her children's looks.

"From one mother to another. Please don't call my children's appearance strange just because they don't look the way you think they should? It's unkind," she wrote.

Decker and her husband Eric, who earlier this month attended the CMA Awards together, are parents to daughter Vivianne and sons Eric Jr. and Forrest. In her Instagram comments, the "I still love you" singer noted all three of their kids are active and participate in sports.

On Monday, Decker posted a video of her children on vacation along with a lengthy caption in response to people's comments.

"Being accused of photoshopping abs on my kids (I can't help but laugh) or ... the polar opposite over 'overtraining' our kids makes me realize how bizarre our world has gotten regarding the body and what's normal and what's not," Decker wrote. "We preach about body positivity and acceptance but my kids having a mass amount of genetic and built muscle from athletics is 'weird'?"

She continued, "I want to raise my kids to feel proud of their bodies and hard work from either Vivis elite competitive gymnastics to Eric Jr wanting to be like dad as an NFL receiver to little Forrest who spends hours dancing his heart out. Let's not pick and choose what we normalize regarding bodies and be accepting of all people and children. If we wanna do 'better' then do better. I'm proud of my children and encourage them to live their dreams."

The Decker family recently got to enjoy time together soaking up the sun, kayaking, bike riding and playing outdoors, according to another Instagram reel Decker shared.

"Had the time of our lives on a much needed family vacation!!!! So grateful for the sun, fun, food, family and friends until next time," she wrote.