Paris Hilton faced renewed scrutiny from parenting critics over water safety after she was seen without a life jacket on her son, Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum, during a recent sea outing.
On Wednesday, the 43-year-old reality star shared a TikTok video featuring her 1-year-old son exploring a luxury Sunreef catamaran that she and her husband, Carter Reum, had chartered while vacationing in France last month. The video, set to Ed Sheeran’s 2014 hit “Photograph,” showed Phoenix wandering around the boat.
In the caption, Hilton expressed her delight at witnessing her son’s adventures. “Watching Phoenix explore the world has been so special to me! I am so grateful to be a #SlivingMom,” she wrote.
The post drew attention from parenting critics who noted that Phoenix was not wearing a life jacket, leading to a fresh round of debate about water safety.
Paris Hilton Faces Backlash from Parenting Critics for Incorrectly Fitting Son’s Life Jacket: ‘Oops’
In the video, Phoenix happily explores the catamaran, dressed in a burgundy shirt and matching shorts, as the boat glides over the waves. The toddler is seen walking across the deck, crawling on the mesh netting above the water, and calling out “Mama” while navigating a few steps.
After Hilton posted the video, many of her followers voiced their concerns in the comments about Phoenix not wearing a life jacket during the outing.
“Momma, please make sure he wears a life jacket at all times on the boat! Accidents can happen. That’s why they’re called accidents. With love,” one follower advised.
“My anxiety went through the roof seeing him without a life jacket! You can never be too cautious on the water!” another follower expressed.
“From one mom to another… please put a life jacket on him!” urged another social media user.
“Watching him walk on the net over the open water made me so nervous,” commented one fan, accompanied by emojis of monkeys covering their eyes.
“Had a mini heart attack because I didn’t realize there was a net and not just open water. Adorable little guy! Glad he’s okay. Just woke up sooo…” a TikTok user wrote.
“Are we all on the same page about the life vest, right? Gorgeous boat and life, but still safer with a jacket,” another follower advised.
On Thursday, Hilton addressed the concerns from critics by clarifying that she and her husband, Reum, remained closely attentive to their son while he explored the boat, assuring that Phoenix was never at risk during the outing.
“Hey Mamma’s, thanks for the concern and advice about my #CutesieCrew! It’s a big boat, and my husband and I were right there with him, watching like hawks. My babies mean everything to me!” Hilton responded in the comments section.
Hilton and Reum, who tied the knot in November 2021, also have a 9-month-old daughter named London.
This isn’t the first time Hilton has faced criticism regarding her parenting. In May, she posted a TikTok video of herself playing with Phoenix in the water, where the focus was on the life vest that was incorrectly fastened backward on her baby son.
As backlash flooded in from followers pointing out the mistake, Hilton responded with a light-hearted “Oops,” and reassured her fans that she was fully in control of the situation.
“Hey momma, just a tip from another puddle jumper mom: I think the vest is on backward. But I love this video—pure joy,” commented one supportive follower.
The “Simple Life” star responded to the social media user, saying, “Oops! Thank you for pointing that out! I always keep him close. I thought the life jacket was on backward too, so I checked with the seller who assured me it was correct. I appreciate you letting me know!”
Earlier in the month, Hilton had come under fire for a video showing her children incorrectly harnessed in forward-facing car seats.
In response, Hilton shared an updated TikTok video to reassure her fans, showcasing her newly equipped “Sliving Mom Van” with her “cuties crew,” including Phoenix and London.
In the video, her children were now correctly seated and strapped in backward-facing car seats.
“Thanks for the parenting tips—I’m still learning,” Hilton wrote in the caption.
Hilton and Reum announced the arrival of their son, Phoenix, born via surrogate, in February 2023. Later that year, during Thanksgiving, the couple also shared the news of their daughter’s birth, also through a surrogate.
Prior to Phoenix’s birth, Hilton had exclusively told Tv5s Digital how eager she was to become a mother.
“We talk about it every single day,” Hilton shared about her discussions with Reum. “I’m working on fitting it into my schedule because I have so many projects going on. I just launched my media company, 11:11 Media, so there’s a lot happening. But becoming a mom is definitely one of my top priorities.”
