Jenny Mollen Criticized for Sharing Photos of Herself Lying on Top of 12-Year-Old Son in Bed with 'Toxic Boyfriend' Caption
Jenny Mollen Criticized for Sharing Photos of Herself Lying on Top of 12-Year-Old Son in Bed with 'Toxic Boyfriend' Caption
Becca LongmireTue, June 2, 2026 at 12:35 PM UTC
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Jenny Mollen has been criticized online after sharing two photographs showing herself cuddling her 12-year-old son, Sid, on a bed
The author and actress, 47, could be seen lying on top of her eldest son in the snaps, which some social media users called "inappropriate"
Mollen shared the post after it was revealed that she and Jason Biggs, the father of her two children, had split after 18 years of marriage
Jenny Mollen continues to face criticism over some recent photos she shared with her 12-year-old son, Sid.
The author and actress, 47, posted two images on Instagram on May 25, showing herself lying on top of Sid on a bed, while placing her hands around the back of his head.
Mollen lay her head next to Sid's on the sheets, with both of their faces covered as she cuddled her son.
A second photo then showed the writer again lying on top of her son, still with her hands behind his head. Sid then linked his fingers in front of his mom's face, again covering both of their faces.
A source told PEOPLE of the photos, “The picture is nothing more than a mother hugging her 12 year-old son. Any one inferring anything else should be ashamed of themselves.”
Commenters pointed out that Mollen's original caption was different from the simple period that she then replaced it with.
As one person mentioned the caption in question in the comments section, Mollen responded, “I said your eldest will be the most toxic bf you ever have. I stand by this!”
Social media users also criticized the star in the comments section, with one person writing, “This is creepy and wildly inappropriate.”
“This is so disturbing,” another added, while one said, “I hate everything about this.”
“That's giving super creepy," a fourth wrote.
However, one social media user pointed out, “She's not doing anything wrong. That's her son. That's his mom. We already known she a lot and eccentric. I love her.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Mollen's rep for comment.
Jenny Mollen with her two sons Lazlo and Sid
Credit: jennymollen/Instagram
Mollen shares Sid and son Lazlo, 8, with ex Jason Biggs. A rep for the couple confirmed to PEOPLE on May 14 that the pair had separated after 18 years of marriage, insisting they remained on “great terms” and were focusing on coparenting their two sons.
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A source close to Mollen and Biggs told PEOPLE at the time that the former couple were "doing great" and had spent Biggs' 48th birthday together as a family on May 12.
"They are very much connected," the source said of Biggs and Mollen's future as coparents. "I have no doubt that they will remain on excellent terms."
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Mollen referenced her split from Biggs last week amid the backlash over her recent Instagram photos.
She said that she was “shocked” by the response to the shots of her and Sid in an Instagram Stories post, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Mollen previously wrote, "It's like because I'm getting separated, because I'm not protected by the institution of marriage, I'm suddenly like a different kind of target in what I'm posting. Like this is absolutely jaw-dropping. A photo of me hugging my 12-year-old child is getting ridiculed,” per the outlet.
Jason Biggs and Jenny Mollen
Credit: Adela Loconte/Variety via Getty
The criticism comes after Mollen was asked whether there was anything she'd shared previously that she regretted during an appearance on a March 2025 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark.
She said of Sid at the time, "Yeah, I posted a while ago — this was maybe 6 years ago. I was holding my son, we were in the kitchen playing, and we were rocking him back and forth, and for whatever reason, he slipped through my hands and his head hit the hardwood.”
Mollen and Biggs rushed their son to the ER at the time, before thankfully being told that everything was okay. The actress then shared her story, “because I felt like it would be … I don't want my Instagram to seem like I'm only giving you a highlights reel of my life,” she told hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos at the time.
Mollen explained that she regretted sharing that story with the world because it's one of the first things that pops up about her son's name on the Internet.
"I regret it because I feel like it pops up if you put his name into a Google search. And I hate that," she said, as Ripa questioned whether she'd received backlash.
"Mom-shaming is like a sport, I feel," Ripa said, to which Mollen replied, “It is. So that was hard. I don't like him seeing the headline, how salacious they wrote it. I wish I hadn't posted it.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
