Jennifer Lopez has opened up about some of the challenges of raising teenage twins. The 53-year-old singer and actor recently posed for the cover of Vogue Mexico and Latin America, where she detailed her relationship with her 15-year-old twins, Max and Emme. The Mother star, who shares her twins with ex-husband Marc Anthony, explained how they’ve started to question her choices as they’ve grown older. “You will always adore your children. There is an acceptance they have of you,” Lopez said. “And then as they get older, they start to wonder, ‘Why are we doing this? Why is my mom doing that? Do I have to do it too?’ That’s where they start to challenge you.” She continued: “You probably remember when you were a teenager and you gave your mom a hard time. And I don’t think it’s because they’re not good kids. They just want to know, to learn, they want answers.” Lopez has previously spoken about the difficulties of raising teenagers in the spotlight. In May, the Hustlers star explained why her teenagers “don’t want to talk” to her anymore during an appearance on The View. She noted that she’s been more of the “bad cop” instead of the easygoing parent when it comes to raising her children with husband Ben Affleck. “I remember my mom saying to me, ‘I’m always the bad guy, I got to discipline you,’” she said about her mother, Guadalupe Rodríguez. “And there is some truth to that. You get a little bit of the brunt of it.” The Marry Me actor then shared how her mother’s parenting wisdom has stayed with her, as her twins have started to spend less time with her. “I’m experiencing this now, you know, we all experience it for the first time with our own kids,” Lopez explained. “And you’re just like, ‘Oh, this is what she was talking about.’ This is the time where your kids don’t want to talk to you. And they’re kind of individuating from you.” She continued: “And it’s all necessary. And intellectually, I understand it, but my heart, my heart hurts.” After she and Ben Affleck tied the knot in 2022, Lopez blended her family with Affleck, who shares three children with his ex-wife, Jennfier Garner: Violet, 17, Seraphina, 14, and Samuel, 11. While speaking to Today host Hoda Kotb last month, Lopez gave insight into her blended family with Affleck. “Well, he’s a wonderful, wonderful father,” she said. “And a father figure to [Max and Emme] as well, because he has his own three beautiful children, and then there’s us.” “He’s fantastic. He really steps up to the challenge of what that is and what that means,” she continued. “And they love him. They love him. And they appreciate him, and so do I.” The Shotgun Wedding star even showed her appreciation for the Gone Girl actor when she posted a steamy shirtless selfie of Affleck in honour of Father’s Day. Read More Jennifer Lopez divides fans with steamy Father’s Day post for ‘daddy’ Ben Affleck Jennifer Garner opens up about ‘mess of parenting’ with ex-husband Ben Affleck: ‘It’s a gift’ Jennifer Lopez explains why she ‘understands’ that her 15-year-old twins ‘don’t want to talk’ to her Jennifer Lopez divides fans with steamy Father’s Day post for ‘daddy’ Ben Affleck Mother shares heartbreak after inviting whole school class to daughter’s party 6 hacks for handling the heatwave at a festival

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Kim Kardashian has sparked backlash for posing in an outfit by Balenciaga one year after condemning the brand’s campaign scandal. The reality star, 42, took to Instagram on 13 September to showcase her look from the brand, which she wore to the Kering Foundation’s annual Caring for Women Dinner. Her outfit choice came nearly a year after she said that she was “re-evaluating” her relationship with the brand, due to its controversial campaign of child models holding teddy bears dressed in bondage gear. For Wednesday night’s dinner, she wore a semi-sheer, pink, sparkly dress with a halter neckline and train, along with a pair of nude heels. Along with the series of photos of herself in the outfit, she also shared a snap with Nicole Kidman, who was also wearing a dress by Balenciaga. In the caption, Kardashian quipped: “Caring for women at the Kering Foundation Gala.” On her Instagram Story, the Skims founder shared another snap of herself and Kidman posing together at the dinner, along with the caption: “@balenciaga babes.” Fans have taken to the comments of Kardashian’s Instagram post to question her for publicly working with Balenciaga again after the campaign, which featured an image of a Supreme Court opinion on a child pornography case, was removed due to backlash. “Why are you both wearing Demna again,” one critic wrote, while another added: “But the brand….” A third agreed: “I seriously don’t get it. This is a simple look that she could have commissioned from any brand. I’m here because I’m a fan but this really upsets me.” Social media users have also taken the criticism to a Reddit thread, where one person posted Kardashian’s story with Kidman, and claimed that the reality star’s “outrage” towards the scandal last year “really was performative”. The Reddit user also added that they’d “never view the brand the same” way that they did due to the controversy. “I mean even when people asked her to speak out Kim really made a super neutral and vague statement,” another claimed about Kardashian’s previous remarks. “Not surprised,” a third claimed about Kardashian wearing Balenciaga. “She still supported them like a week or two after the whole incident and then tried hiding that she was wearing them.” Back in November 2022, the KKW Beauty founder first broke her silence about the campaign, noting that as mother of four children – who she shares with ex Kanye West – she was “shaken by the disturbing images” of the advertisements. “The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalise child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society – period,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, at the time. “I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven’t been disgusted and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened.” After she explained that she was “re-evaluating [her] relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with”, she added that she “appreciated” Balenciaga’s decision to issue an apology and remove the campaign. “In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again,” she concluded. One month after issuing the statement, Kardashian explained why she didn’t speak out against the Balenciaga teddy bear controversy at the very beginning. “With the Balenciaga thing, everyone was like: ‘Why aren’t you speaking out? Why aren’t you speaking out?’ And I’m like: ‘Wait. I’m not in this campaign. I don’t know what’s happening. Let me take a minute to research this,’” she said. “And then as soon as I saw what everyone was seeing on the internet and the reality of the situation, I completely spoke out and gave my thoughts on child porn and completely denounced it.” She also made claims about why she believed she faced criticism amid the Balenciaga scandal, continuing: “But because I didn’t say: ‘F*** you, Balenciaga. That’s it,’ people got mad at that. So they’re mad if I don’t speak out. They’re mad if I do speak out, and if I don’t cancel.” The Independent has contacted a representative for Kardashian for comment. Read More Kim Kardashian-West repeatedly tags wrong Mert Alas in Twitter photos with her famous friends Kim Kardashian explains why she doesn't 'label' herself a feminist at Commonwealth club talk Kourtney Kardashian claims she ‘hates’ sister Kim in dramatic Kardashians trailer Cindy Crawford says her father initially thought modelling ‘form of prostitution’ See plus-size model Ashley Graham stun in Old Hollywood-inspired Harris Reed LFW show Football legend Michael Owen: My four kids all have opinions about my fashion choices

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More than one in 10 women and girls in the UK’s four nations has been a victim of online violence, new research has found. Online violence can includes abuse, unwanted sexual remarks, trolling, threats, and non-consensual sharing of intimate messages and photos. The online YouGov survey, said to be the biggest so far into the issue, found 17% of the women and girls surveyed in Wales and Scotland have experienced online violence, as well as 15% in England and 12% in Northern Ireland. Researchers from the Open University said the findings show the problem is “widespread”. The data came from the 7,500 people aged 16 and over – 4,000 women and girls and 3,5000 men and boys – earlier this year. It also highlighted that online violence was higher among for those aged 16-24 (25%) and for LGBT+ women and girls (35%). The most commonly perceived reasons for why people commit such online violence were the anonymity provided by being online (49%), ease of getting away with it (47%) and misogyny (43%). So what can you do if you’re a victim of online violence? Trolling According to the Crown Prosecution Service, trolling is “a form of baiting online which involves sending abusive and hurtful comments across all social media platforms”. Trolls can be found everywhere on the internet, including forums, blogs, websites and social networks. “Don’t respond,” said Ruth Peters, solicitor and director at criminal defence firm Olliers Solicitors. “Trolls are looking for a reaction. Their aim is to upset and provoke you into making an angry/emotional response. Whilst you can’t prevent a troll from targeting you, you can decide how you choose to react. If you choose not to respond to the abuse, trolls generally give up and go away.” If you are being bullied online or receiving abusive comments, Dr Angela Wilcock, a senior lecturer in criminology at University of Sunderland thinks it’s important to tell a family member or a close friend, so you don’t feel alone and have can their support. The Online Safety Bill (which is expected to be passed at the end of this year) to protect women and girls is key, said Wilcock, “along with education from a young age. Women are continually having to risk assess and protect themselves, but we are not dealing with the perpetrators”. She added: “If women and girls do experience online violence, they must tell someone and seek help immediately from specialist services. To make themselves safer, they can also ensure social media privacy settings are activated.” Don’t forget to record, report and block trolls too. Peters noted. “If someone makes an offensive post, take a screenshot or print the post so that you have proof of it if necessary. “Ask the website moderator, administrator or owner to intervene if the troll doesn’t stop. Most websites/social network platforms have strong anti-abuse policies and, in most cases, trolls are guilty of violating their terms and conditions so will have their accounts terminated. “It’s OK to block those whose behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable and blocking someone on social media is easy.” Threats and abusive communication Set out under the Communications Act 2003 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988, malicious communications can include cyberbullying, harassment online or homophobic, racist, transphobic or misogynistic hate speech. Under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003, it is an offence for someone to send a message that is grossly offensive or indecent, obscene or menacing character. “The message does not need to actually reach the intended victim – the act of sending the message is sufficient,” Peters said. “A ‘message’ will cover all forms of messaging so this can mean a text, email, Facebook message, an internet forum, Snapchat message or picture, etc. Any image or message which has been sent electronically will be covered by this act.” Glitch, a UK charity aiming to end online abuse and championing digital citizenship, with a specific focus on black women and marginalised people, published its 2023 Digital Misogynoir Report in July. The findings “illuminate the ways misogynoir shows up in online spaces; the way it spreads and intersects with other forms of white supremacy; and, most disappointingly, how it is still missed in content moderation by tech platforms”, according to founder and CEO, Seyi Akiwowo, “Tech companies must take responsibility for the ways their ‘build first, think later’ approach actively harms black women – online and offline. “And while the pressure we’ve been applying to the UK government has resulted in the welcome and necessary addition of women and girls to the Online Safety Bill, the government has a responsibility to hold tech companies to consistent account for the violence their platforms enable.” Non-consensual sharing of intimate photos and messages In April 2015, the Criminal Justice and Courts Act (CJCA) 2015 made ‘revenge porn’ a specific offence, and it became a crime to “disclose private sexual photographs and films; without the permission of the individual who appears in the photograph or film; with intent to cause distress”, Peters said. “[But] stronger regulation is also proposed surrounding the sharing of sexual images without consent.” The Online Safety Bill, currently progressing through the House of Lords, seeks to specifially criminalise similar offences to revenge porn. “These include sharing ‘deepfakes’ (explicit images which have been altered to look like someone) without consent,” Peters said. “Stronger regulation is also proposed surrounding the sharing of sexual images without consent. The current law requires intention to cause distress in order to be found guilty of this offence, [but] the proposed changes will amend this in order to prosecute more people.” She added: “There will be a ‘base offence’ for sharing intimate images without consent. There will be two more serious offences created if images are shared to cause humiliation, alarm or distress, or for sexual gratification.” But for Wilcock, “women shouldn’t have to ensure our profiles are closed off to the world just so that we don’t endure abuse from trolls and abusers. “It shouldn’t be this way, but that is the sad reality of today’s online world. Until we do more to hold perpetrators to account and deal with them appropriately, it is hard to see how it will get better for victims.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Athlete who ran over 200km through the desert shares advice for running in a heatwave Women being invited to help shape the future of reproductive healthcare – from period pain to menopause How to style your home like a professional

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A mother of two has faced backlash after revealing that she packs her toddler a meal to eat out at a restaurant. Karlie Smith, a 21-year-old mother from Ohio, went viral on TikTok this week when she shared how she gets her two-year-old son to eat at a restaurant. “Call me cheap, call me whatever, but if we’re going out to a restaurant, I’m packing my kid a meal,” she began the TikTok, which has since been viewed more than 55k times. Smith, who goes by @unbreakablemomma on the app, shared with her followers that her family gets together for dinner on Friday nights, but this time was different because they were going to a restaurant. “My son is not getting food out,” she said, before explaining why she prefers to pack her son a meal ahead of time. “For one, you want me to pay $6.99 for chicken tenders and fries that my son is going to throw half of it on the floor, you’re crazy. Also, whatever I pack is probably gonna be healthier than what the restaurant has anyways.” The mom then showed the meal she had packed for her toddler, which included a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cut-up banana, mild cheddar cheese cubes, and a chocolate Lara bar stored in a plastic container. “Also, when we get to a restaurant, my child is not waiting for anyone to take his order – he wants to eat now,” she said. “I can just hand him this and let him go to town. Also, my child is not opinionated. He does not care what he eats; he just wants to eat.” However, Smith added that if her son wants restaurant food, she’ll order it. “Also, I usually get him chocolate milk because that’s his little takeout treat,” she said. “And after he finishes his food, he’s usually eating off my plate.” While Karlie Smith’s parenting hack may work for her family, many people in the comments section were outraged that she would deprive her son of restaurant food. Some TikTok users went so far as to claim it was a form of “abuse” to pack her toddler a pre-made meal. “My brother-in-law’s step-father used to do this to him as abuse,” read the top comment under Smith’s video. In response, the mother of two wrote back: “No one said I’d do this forever, I even said if he wanted something off the menu I would give it to him and share my meal, but he’s happy.” @unbreakablemomma ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey Others chimed in, “Stop throwing the word abuse around,” and, “At that age they don’t know the difference between restaurant food or a home-cooked meal. It’s far from abuse.” Some people also claimed that eating out at a restaurant should be a special occasion for everyone, including their young ones. “I just bring a snack for the wait but I think going out to eat is special for everyone, not just the adults,” said one TikToker. “In my house everyone eats out or no one eats out! My parents had the same rules!” another wrote. When one parent shared that they tried pre-packing their daughter’s meal once but they felt “so much mom guilt” for “leaving her out,” Smith replied: “I get it! Sometimes I take my son out for special mommy and me meals!” Despite the negative comments, many people still praised Smith’s parenting tip and told her to block out the haters. “This is actually genius. My son is so picky and I always end up paying for something he doesn’t eat,” said one TikToker. “Love this! My kid is autistic and doesn’t want to wait for the order to come,” another person said. “Go momma!!” “I thought everyone did this!!” said someone else. “Literally common sense to bring toddlers snacks while eating out!!? It’s like a parent hack.” However, it was Karlie Smith who had the last laugh when she poked fun at some of the backlash in a follow-up video. “What people think I do because I said I pack a meal for my two-year-old at restaurants,” she wrote over a separate TikTok video, which saw Smith act out outlandish scenarios, such as feeding her child a can of green beans and a raw onion. @unbreakablemomma Replying to @Kayla2022 the american girl doll is a paid actress ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey “You clap back at those haters, girlfriend,” said one fan. The Independent has contacted Karlie Smith for comment. Read More College student says didn’t know she was pregnant until baby was crowning due to ‘cryptic pregnancy’ A TikTok model made viral videos of her grandmother’s choice to die. Here’s why Mother speaks out after video about putting fake tan on baby goes viral