Tattooed TikToker dad stands firm against critics over kissing son on the lips

The TikToker, known as @tom_leeds, has gained popularity by juxtaposing his image of a bearded, tattoo-covered man against his role as a cherished, tender husband and father. His responses to comments about his parenting skills have gone viral on the platform.

Several commentators have suggested that he should not kiss his young children on the lips. Their comments range from declaring it "disgusting," saying "you're both cute, but don't kiss him on the mouth," and offering unsolicited advice about the potential for transmitting bacteria to the child. The TikToker addressed these criticisms in a separate post.

"I'll be kissing my son, my 5-year-old child, on his mouth as long as I believe it's appropriate and as long as he consents" - the father explained in the viral video. He justified, "Because I love him dearly, and he's my best friend. One day, he won't want this and probably won't want to spend much time with me. So, for now, I'll just continue as is".

However, not all commentators were critical of Tom. One of them, named Jim, wrote, "As someone who never experienced such warmth from his father while growing up - You're setting a benchmark for other fathers. Loving and kissing are healthy behaviors."

A few commentators suggested that the TikToker would not have found himself defending his parenting style if he did not share images of his children on social media.