Marina Stavraki has criticized her former husband Giorgos Patoulis after he published a photograph with their son Alexandros Patoulis on Instagram for his name day.
Stavraki posted a message on her personal Facebook account on Monday, August 31, a few hours after Patoulis shared the image online. In her statement, she addressed the public exposure of her son's personal life and asserted that children should not be used as tools for personal promotion or displayed as trophies.
Father's name day message
Patoulis had posted the photograph with their son earlier on Sunday to mark the feast day of Saint Alexandros. In his caption, he wished everyone a good Sunday and noted that his son Alexandros was celebrating his name day. He added that he wished his son health, joy, strength, and every good thing in life from the bottom of his heart, expressing his hope that his son would always remain healthy and happy. He also extended his wishes to everyone celebrating on that day, offering hopes of health, love, and happiness for them and their families.
Stavraki's response on parenting
Addressing her followers on Facebook, Stavraki began by offering sincere thanks from the bottom of her heart to relatives, genuine friends, online supporters, and everyone who had stood by her and her son over the years. She explained that she chose to respect her son's privacy while acknowledging the countless wishes and expressions of love they had received, stating that their support held real value for them.
Stavraki emphasized that the most important aspect of parenting is being truly present in a child's life. She stated that meaningful parenting does not require photographs, public declarations, or the personal promotion of unseen people. She added that a parent's presence is demonstrated in the daily reality of a child's life rather than on social media platforms.
Privacy and public exposure
In her statement, Stavraki noted that a parent who is genuinely present in a child's life is often almost invisible to the outside world. She explained that true presence occurs where it matters most, including in daily routines, needs, anxieties, dreams, and a child's development. She wrote that invisible parents should be left in their invisibility, reiterating that children do not exist to prove to others how involved a parent is.
Concluding her post, Stavraki addressed her son directly, wishing him from the bottom of her heart to continue moving forward, dreaming, creating, and becoming the person he desires to be each day. She wished him health, strength, love, and the presence of people who truly love him, closing with warm wishes for his name day.
Background on the family
Giorgos Patoulis is a Greek politician and physician who previously served as the Regional Governor of Attica and as Mayor of Maroussi. Marina Stavraki is a Greek literature teacher and public figure. Name days, which celebrate the feast day of the Christian saint after whom a person is named, are widely celebrated traditions in Greece alongside birthdays.
