Serena Williams Ripped After Sharing Controversial Parenting Confession About Disciplining Her Daughter: She 'Messed Up Big Time'

Serena Williams ignited a heated debate online after sharing a controversial parenting confession about punishing her young children.

"I told my daughter to go to bed. She did not therefore, she missed out on her sleepover," Williams, 44, vented via X on Saturday, April 26. "She cried. But what she did not know is I cried harder. I hate when she cries. 💔 Discipline sucks. But sometimes it’s important."

The seven-time Wimbledon champion shares two daughters, Alexis Olympia, 8, and Adira River, 2, with her husband, Alexis Ohanian.

Many questioned if her actions were considered "healthy parenting" give her daughters' young ages.

"Moms like this are the worst. Instead of telling your child 'go to bed,' why don’t you lay next to her, read a story and rub her back until she falls asleep for comfort?" one user asked, while a second added, "This sounds like you messed up big time. All you've shown her is that the world and you in particular can be cruel and unpredictable."

A third wrote, "What does she want, a round of applause? Weird."

Others had a more humorous approach, writing, "She cried and I cried harder ... Whhaaaatttt ... My momma would be laughing at me crying while eating."

The athlete also had her defenders, with one fan offering a supportive message: "The hardest part of loving a child is sometimes being the one person they are allowed to be mad at."

Williams is known for being candid about motherhood, admitting during a January appearance on Today with Jenna & Friends that she catches herself favoring her younger daughter at times.

"The older one is so sweet, Olympia is so sweet," the mom-of-two told host Sheinelle Jones, who asked if she was a "good big sister."

"She's the best big sister! And then the little one, Adira, she's feisty, but she's nice," Williams replied. "I mean, I'm obsessed. I'm the youngest, so I always have to make sure that I'm not being, you know, not necessarily favorites, but being too nice. 'Let her have it! Let her do it!' Because Olympia will be like, 'No!' And I'm like, 'No, let her do it!'"

Co-host Jenna Bush Hager joked, "Because you're talking to yourself right?"

"Yes! I feel like I've gotta shake out of that, which is just a whole new ballgame," Williams said.