"Mummy what's his name?" — BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) July 1, 2020 [3]
Dr Clare Wenham, we understand your struggles of working from home and looking after children 😂https://t.co/vXb15EQatL [1] pic.twitter.com/4f3PODtJWA [2]
As is the case these days, while Dr. Clare Wenham was giving an interview to the BBC News Channel [4] on local social-distancing measures in London, her young daughter interrupted.
In the video clip, Clare's daughter can be seen positioning her unicorn artwork on a bookshelf, but when she can't quite get it to stand up just right, she interjects the serious conversation between Clare and BBC journalist Christian Fraser.
The sweet moment was hard to miss, and Christian asked the girl's name, and then acknowledged her efforts: "Scarlett, I think it looks better on the lower shelf. It's a lovely unicorn."
Possibly appreciative of the feedback, Scarlett asks, "Mummy, what's his name?" several times before he answered. She replied before going back to her unicorn picture.
"This is the most informative interview I'd done all day!" Christian said.
The clip — reminiscent of the now-famous 2017 BBC interview in which a work-from-home dad was interrupted by his wife and two children — is certainly becoming the norm these days, as the majority of working parents around the globe are conducting business in the same rooms as their children. Still, some Twitter comments called the interruption unprofessional. One wrote that it was unacceptable [6] and that "the little girl is old enough to understand that she needs to be [quiet] for a few minutes."
Thankfully, most users found the moment for what it was — an adorable gem that has probably made everyone's day a bit better. And as for the "unprofessional" excuse?
The mother was focussed and delivered cogent responses despite having to multitask childcare with a work call, the interviewer was understanding and engaged the child with empathy, and the daughter politely asked the man's name before beginning a conversation with him. What can be more appropriate than that?!
Cheers to this BBC Mummy and all the other parents performing similar feats of professionalism these days!