Farrah Abraham, the star of the reality show Teen Mom, has sparked a parenting debate after cheering on her underage daughter as she made a decision that will leave a permanent mark on her life.
Sophia is 16 years old, the same age her mom was when she became pregnant with her. Her birth was documented on the MTV show 16 and Pregnant, which later spawned the hit spin-off series, Teen Mom.
Highlights
- Farrah Abraham faced backlash for allowing her 16-year-old daughter Sophia to get a large pelvis tattoo.
- Sophia previously got a septum piercing at 13 with Farrah’s support, drawing criticism then too.
- Farrah defended her parenting style, emphasizing acceptance as she helps Sophia express her identity freely.
Sophia’s father, Derek Underwood, never got the chance to meet his daughter, as he tragically lost his life in a car accident on December 28, 2008, while Farrah was still pregnant.
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
Farrah recently gave her 2.7 million followers an update on Sophia’s life, revealing that the 16-year-old got a gigantic tattoo across her pelvis.
The 34-year-old mom faced fierce criticism after posting videos of Sophia getting two long lines of bats inked around and below her belly button.
Farrah, who previously came under fire for allowing Sophia to get a septum piercing at age 13, smiled as her daughter lay on the table getting the ink done.
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
“Why can’t today’s mothers just say NO to their kids?” one user asked.
“Permanent decisions shouldn’t be made until you’re an adult,” another person echoed.
“At this point you’re just trying to be a best friend and not a mother!!! 🤦🏻♀️” said someone else, while a separate person agreed, writing, “She’s 16. Too young for something so permanent.”
Others slammed the mother-daughter duo for teasing at the beginning of the video that the “surprise” they had for viewers was that Sophia was pregnant, before unveiling the fresh ink.
Sophia, who was born when Farrah was 16, made her reality TV debut as a baby on 16 and Pregnant
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
“I honestly love Farrah for accepting her daughter for exactly who she wants to be. And supporting her 100%,” shared one fan.
“It is with parent consent. At least she took her so she didn’t have to sneak around and get it like most teens do,” another user agreed.
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
In February 2022, after celebrating her thirteenth birthday, Sophia took to social media to share that she had gotten a septum piercing.
The teenager, whose Instagram account is managed by Farrah, posted a video of the procedure on Instagram.
“I got my septum piercing for my birthday!!' the caption read. “I am so happy with how it turned out! I am the first person in my family to get a septum piercing at 13!! Birthday wish came true!!”
Farrah shared a video of her 16-year-old daughter's new tattoo, a set of bats stretching around her belly button
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
Farrah posed with Sophia, then a little girl, on the cover of her 2012 memoir My Teenage Dream Ended. The book was a commercial success, reaching number 11 on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Sophia and Farrah recently attended the Page Six Virtual Reali-Tea Awards together, where the teen debuted a bold new look consisting of an orange bob and dark, goth-glam makeup.
“I think it’s cool being in the spotlight with my mom,” Sophia told Page Six, after which Farrah beamed with pride and thanked her for “making me famous.”
“I’m a nepo mom,” Farrah quipped during their interview.
Social media users accused Farrah of trying to be her daughter’s “best friend” instead of setting parental boundaries
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
She said she would never “shame” her daughter, adding, “I love and support Sophia 100 percent on who and what she wants to become.”
Farrah also had a message for the mom-shamers, saying that they “should recognize what some kids will grow out of and what they [will not],” adding that she herself had a belly button piercing when she was younger but later had it removed.
Farrah previously allowed Sophia to get a septum piercing at 13
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
Image credits: sophialabraham / Instagram
In 16 and Pregnant, viewers saw Farrah’s mother, Debra Danielsen, treat her daughter harshly after discovering that she was expecting a child with her on-and-off boyfriend. Debra prevented Farrah from obtaining an abortion and called her derogatory names.
Sophia’s father, Derek Underwood, tragically lost his life in a 2008 car crash before she was born
Image credits: RumorFix / YouTube
Image credits: MTV Reality UK / YouTube
Throughout Teen Mom, Farrah and Debra were shown to have a rocky relationship, with Debra being charged with assault in an Iowa court for hitting Farrah in January 2010.
On the MTV show, it was revealed that Farrah began seeing a therapist to discuss her difficult family relationships, as she struggled to cope with her mother's behavior and Sophia's father, Derek, losing his life during filming.
Since her reality TV debut, the mom of one has released a memoir, a studio album, and appeared in several other reality series, including Celebrity Big Brother and Ex on the Beach.
She has also released two adult films, which reportedly earned her over $1 million.
Most people disagreed with Farrah's decision to let her daughter get a tattoo at 16
