Yesterday, we learned the bad news that Jack Osbourne, scion of the Osbourne entertainment family and son of metal legend Ozzy, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Symptoms of the disease varies, but can include spasms and difficulty walking or moving. Jack's first symptom was a 60 percent loss of vision in one eye. Jack is only 26 years old and is a new dad. The news must be devastating. Which is why his mother Sharon Osbourne's lament that this somehow must all be her fault is unnecessary guilt -- for Sharon, for Jack, and for moms everywhere.
Sharon, who is a judge on the popular America's Got Talent, told Hello! magazine that she feels guilty over her son's diagnosis. Says Sharon:
I keep thinking, "What did I do wrong? What did I eat or drink when I was pregnant?" I feel like it’s somehow my fault.
It's a natural knee-jerk mom reaction to feel guilty when anything negative happens to your child, but Sharon is really taking mom guilt too far here. There is no known cause for multiple sclerosis, though there are theories that it's a gene defect, which could mean that this disease runs in Sharon or Ozzy's family. But neither has said it does. And, even if it did, genetic diseases are no one's FAULT. They happen. They have nothing to do with what a mother does during pregnancy.
Bringing it to the level of "What did I eat or drink?" is unnecessary self-chastisement. I think it's irresponsible for someone in the public eye, like Sharon is, to even go there. To suggest that somehow a serious autoimmune disease whose origins are unknown to the medical community is mommy's fault because she might have drank or ate the wrong thing while pregnant is absurd. This kind of talk could even make Jack feel guilty for making his mother feel guilty!
Jack, however, seems to have an inspiring attitude about his disease. He told Hello!:
I got really sad for about two days, and after that I realized being angry and upset is not going to do anything at this point -- if anything it’s only going to make it worse. "Adapt and overcome" is my new motto.
See, Sharon? You raised a strong young man. Such a difference from the often bratty, spoiled kid he appeared on MTV's The Osbournes. Mommy should be proud.
What do you think of Sharon's mommy guilt?
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Comments 28
I think she's entitled to feel any way she wants and what she is feeling is perfectly normal. So what if she's a celebrity, she's a human being and a mother first. Yes, it's unproductive and not particularly helpful but it's also temporary. As she educates herself on the disease she will realize that she is not to blame. Then she will be able to move on to whatever comes next, namely being there for her son and his new family.
While I can't say that I can relate to Sharon, I can absolutely relate to how Jack's wife is probably feeling as my husband was diagnosed with MS when I was pregnant with my daughter. She's almost 5 now and we have recently started the dialogue with her about her dad's MS. Luckily, the MS Society has their Keep S'myelin club for kids, which helps them to understand and also to be able to explain to other kids.
Okay, seriously I don't think it's irresponsible of her to have those thoughts. I don't even have kids and the thought would probably cross my mind. They just received the diagnosis so I am sure they are still in the middle of the grieving process. Once she has a chance to process everything, I am sure she will realize it's not her fault. Give her a break.
Wow. Really? When my son was diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease (total kidney failure) we were in full blown guilt about what we could have done to avoid it. Until you have walked in these particular shoes, SFTU about she is taking the news.
To our children it's a natural reaction to wanna protect them from anyone and anything genetic disease or not...She's being and reacting like any mom would. Give her a break.