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?
Ashley Is a Widow Who Stays Strong...
This Hot Dad Wants to Vacuum Your Rug
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
KStew Refuses to Shower
Comments 28
Good grief. She's entitled to a parental feeling and opinion.
Strange, you want your celebs to be real, but when they are, they should be more... perfect??
Also, what if Ozzy's DNA was affected with all the chems streaming thru his system for decades (still congenital, not genetic). There's a lot we don't know yet, without have to go to Mom as the default for "what went wrong."
Kiri, you must not have a child that has anything wrong with them. You are a luckky person then. When anything is wrong with our children we naturally blame ourselves no matter if it wasn't our fault. We want our children to be 100% healthy, but life has no guaruntees. We all want to protect our children and we are all harder on ourselves, but this is natural. She is allowed to question herself if she so chooses that's the natural response I would expect out of Sharon Osbourne. I would find something wrong with you if you don't blame yourself even if you know it's not your fault.
I think they are a great family and I wish him the best. I know a young man with MS, and his body acts like he is 99. It's sad. I hope his daughter has her dad around for a long time, and that he is able to keep his body in good shape to play with her. Im sure its devastating for him to think otherwise.
I think her reaction is natural and you're being way to hard on her. Now, if she continues on this path of what did I do, then there would be an issue. But having just learned about this, I'm sure her emotions are all over the place and therefore she's entitled to a little bit of WTF and OMG. Just because she's a public figure does not mean she's not allowed to feel like this or even show it in public. The whole family will be in my prayers.
How long has she had this news? It's normal to feel guilt and yes she does need to talk about it. I would do the same. I'm sure that she will get over her feelings of guilt and help her son and family with this diagnosis.
It's a natural step in the grieving process. When we find out something happens to our kids, we always look at ourselves to see if it was something we did. Just because she's a celebrity doesn't exempt her from it, she's human. Let her deal with it in her way.
Ms. Kiri Blakeley, THIS post is irresponsible. As a Mom, it's natural and perfectly acceptable to wonder if something we may have done could have caused our child's illness, injury, etc. I know Moms who have had miscarriages and stillbirths have asked that question of themselves, Moms who have autistic children have asked themselves that question; Moms whose kids have a whole host of illnesses or disabilities have wondered if they could have done something to prevent it. I'm not saying any mother should STAY in that place of fear and guilt. But to chastise a mother for feeling that way and saying it out loud is ridiculous. Have some compassion. It is not Ms. Osbourne's responsibility to make sure that none of her statements about how she feels as she copes with the illness of her son are taken the wrong way or make other people feel badly or guilty. She has a right to say what she feels as she and her family go through this process. Stop wagging your finger at Ms. Osbourne and try to see it from her perspective. If you've never experienced a child (even an adult child) with an illness, then praise God. But if you ever do, I am almost positive that at some point in your life, you will ask yourself if it was through some fault of your own. And I hope you have a safe place/person to confide those feelings in without someone calling you irresponsible.