Loose Women panellist Charlene White was forced to defend her opinion on people who choose to have just one child during a segment on the ITV show
Loose Women's Charlene White has sparked a debate after expressing her views on having just one child, which her fellow panellists labelled as "controversial".
In the episode aired on Tuesday (18th March), Charlene joined Coleen Nolan, Katie Piper, and Gloria Hunniford to delve into the day's hot topics.
The conversation took a personal turn when they tackled the question, "did you worry you wouldn't bond with a second child?" Katie Piper shared her fears of not being able to replicate the "unconditional love" she had for her first daughter with a second child.
Charlene opened up about her own experience: "It wasn't something I was worried about at all, I don't think it ever crossed my mind that I wouldn't love Florence as much as Alfie."
She elaborated on her family plans: "I just always knew I was gonna have two, no matter... I just knew I was always gonna have more than one whether or not I was able to have another one..", reports the Manchester Evening News.
The presenter then made a candid admission about her preference for a larger family: "This might be controversial, I didn't want an only child."
When probed for her reasons, Charlene explained her fondness for her own upbringing as one of three siblings. She remarked: "There are sometimes attributes with only children that don't align with what I like in kids" a sentiment Katie Piper acknowledged as "controversial".
Charlene defended her viewpoint to a chuckling audience, stating: "I'm not saying it's all only children, I'm saying in my experience I wanted my kid to always have a friend, their first best friend."
Katie Piper agreed, adding: "I do love having two, they play together on holiday, they've got that child rather than being in adult company."
Charlene White and her husband Andy are parents to two children, six year old Alfie and four year old Florence. She has previously expressed her desire for her children to be more conscious of global events.
Discussing her memoir No Place Like Home, she said: "They know they're of mixed heritage. They know they are minorities, and we have very honest conversations about the fact that they are a mix of mummy and daddy".
"I'm very old school in the way that every school morning they sit down and every breakfast, they watch Newsround. Because my parents, although they shielded me from the worst of the world, wanted me to be always aware of what's happening in the world and where I sit within that".
Charlene continued: "So that's something that's really important for me and the kids, because I want them to be aware of what's happening in the world."
