I need to rant.

I know I am not a parent and have no experience of looking after children, but this woman has just made me think what is wrong with today’s society.

Clearly we live in a world where we are all free to follow what path we want, and exercise what style of parenting, guidance, mentoring – or whatever you want to call it – to the best of our own personal ability, but this just sounds a bit wrong to me …..

Bea Marshall’s elder child was only three when he woke up one morning and decided he’d quite like ice cream for breakfast.

Most parents would balk at such a notion and serve up healthier, more traditional options of toast, porridge or cereal instead.

But not Bea. The writer, speaker and parenting coach scooped a large spoonful of ice cream into a bowl and presented it to her delighted son. Unsurprisingly, he asked for — and received — the same thing the next day. And the next. And the next.

What on earth was she thinking? Bea is an advocate of controversial ‘Yes Parenting’, a rather hippyish model of raising children which aims to accommodate the child — whatever their request.

So, her general rule is, what darling child wants, darling child gets …    and it doesn’t stop there …

Other parents will be horrified to learn this freedom even extends to swearing. ‘I don’t swear a lot but I do swear and I know I’m not going to be able to stop myself from swearing if I drop something,’ she says.

‘Jos quite recently told me to f*** off when I didn’t have time to help him find a toy. But I don’t get cross. I understand it’s their way of showing emotion and expressing their anger. I’ll say: “Wow, you sound really angry, what’s going on?” Then I do my best to resolve that situation.’