Copyright newsweek
Millie Bobby Brown discussed her new baby publicly for the first time this week, but chose not to reveal any personal details about her. The Stranger Things star, 21, told British Vogue that she and husband, Jake Bongiovi, are committed to keeping their daughter out of the spotlight. The couple, who announced in August that they had become parents through adoption, have not shared their baby’s name or any photos—a deliberate choice by them both. MIAMI GARDENS, FL – MARCH 27: Jake Bongiovi and Millie Bobby Brown Bongiovi are seen during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 27, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. When asked about her daughter’s personality, interviewer Zing Tsjeng noted that Brown responded with “fiery conviction.” “For me, it’s really important to protect her and her story until she’s old enough to potentially one day share it herself,” Brown said. “It’s not my place to purposefully put her in the spotlight unwillingly.” She went on to explain that she and Bongiovi, 22, see their role as parents as protecting their child’s autonomy—particularly in the face of the intense public attention that comes with fame. “If she chooses to share her personality one day with the world, like I did when I was young, that’s something we’d support,” Brown added. The Enola Holmes actress added that their baby is “so little” right now, and her main priority is safeguarding her from the pressures and exposure of online celebrity culture. “As her parents, it’s our job to protect her from [the spotlight],” she continued, adding that they don’t plan to reveal her name “until she’s ready to decide for herself.” Dr. Caroline Blackman, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist (carolineblackmanmd.com) believes Brown’s decision is “both wise and developmentally attuned.” “Children are not narcissistic extensions of their parents—they are separate selves whose authenticity must be protected and nurtured,” Blackman told Newsweek. “When parents publicly share details about their children, they must first ask: Who is this really for? Is it to celebrate the child, or to gratify the parent’s own need for validation or visibility?” Blackman went on to explain that healthy parenting means respecting the difference between the child’s developing identity and the parent’s ego. Early exposure can make the child a target for parental projection or public attention before they have a stable sense of self. Before parents share images or personal details about their young children, Blackman suggested they should consider whether they can meaningfully consent. “Around adolescence, roughly 12 to 14, children begin to develop the reflective capacity to participate in that choice,” she said. “Before then, it’s the parent’s role to protect their privacy, not perform it. “Ultimately, honoring a child’s right to their own story is an act of love—and a corrective to our culture’s impulse to make children part of a parent’s brand rather than their own becoming.”
