Simpson, 42, took to the image-sharing platform to post a series of snaps from her family getaway to Lake Austin, Texas, where she spent time with her husband, Eric Johnson, and their three children, daughters Birdie and Maxwell, 10, and Ace, 9.
The photos, which were shared over the weekend, showed the family relaxing on a boat as they celebrated the Fourth of July break in Simpson’s native Texas.
Captioning the upload, Simpson wrote: “The lake life,” accompanied by a sun emoji.
Amid the fun-filled and heart-warming images, Birdie, who turned 3 in March, was seen using a pacifier—a move that led to a barrage of critical comments from Simpson’s followers, a number of whom felt that the child was too old to be using one.
“Birdie’s a little old for a binkie don’t you think,” commented one person, while another echoed: “Beautiful family but lose the pacifier. Wow.”
“That kid is too old for a binky though.. That will definitely mess up her lips,” wrote another, who suggested that it also ran the risk of “jacking up the teeth.”
Said another: “Doesn’t her youngest daughter’s pediatrician tell Jessica and husband that she’s too old for a pacifier?”
“Passy needs to be gone,” opined another. “It messes up their teeth so bad… my friend is finding that out he kid has major dental issues.”
However, some of Simpson’s fans pushed back on the comments, insisting that the star was doing nothing wrong with her daughter continuing to use a pacifier.
Referring to Birdie, one said that “she is only a toddler maybe it was the only thing [to] calm her in the boat ride! looks like it was nap time!”
“Your kids are so cute,” said another, “so many judgy comments about Birdie’s paci, I know the struggle. My youngest was so hard to break from hers & then she switched to her thumb.”
Newsweek has contacted a representative of Simpson for comment.
According to the Mayo Clinic, pacifiers, which are often used by parents to soothe babies and young children, do not cause long-term dental issues if used for just the first few years of a child’s life.
“However, prolonged pacifier use might cause a child’s teeth to be misaligned,” cautioned the non-profit academic medical center on its website.
“The risks of pacifier use begin to outweigh the benefits as your baby gets older,” the Mayo Clinic advised. “While most kids stop using pacifiers on their own between ages 2 and 4, others need help breaking the habit.
“Use praise when your child chooses not to use the pacifier. If your child has difficulty giving up the pacifier, consider asking your child’s doctor or dentist for help.”
On Monday, singer and businesswoman Simpson returned to Instagram to share a photo of herself looking glamorous as she celebrated her 42nd birthday.
“I am very proud of my faith, resilience and strength over the last 4 decades,” she wrote. “Everything in my life that has or hasn’t happened yet makes turning 42 very exciting because I know what it takes personally to remain inside of DETERMINED PATIENCE.
“I know myself and I do love her very much. I know my purpose and I must say that ladies and gents I am equipped to waltz within every dream I own confidently. I am humbled and honored to finally be my own best friend.”
