David Beckham Speaks Out After Brooklyn’s Attack: ‘Children Are Allowed to Make Mistakes’

David Beckham is speaking out about kids and social media after his son Brooklyn unloaded on his estranged parents in a series of blistering Instagram posts.

With a feud simmering for years, Brooklyn admitted, “I do not want to reconcile with my family.”

David joined the CNBC “Squawk Box” to talk about partnering with Bank of America’s global sports program “Sports with Us.”

Co-host Becky Quick brought up the issues surrounding children and social media, asking, “What do you say to people who are growing up right now? People who are dealing with those things just from a mental health perspective?”

David replied, “I've always spoke about social media and the power of social media, you know, for the good and for the bad. The bad we've talked about with what kids can access these days. And it can be it can be dangerous, but what I’ve found personally, you know, especially with my kids as well, use it for the right reasons. I've been able to use my platform and my following for UNICEF and it's been the biggest tool to make people aware of what's going on around the world for children.”

He said of teaching his kids about social media, “I've tried to do the same with my children to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That's how they learn. So that's what I try to teach my kids. but you know, you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well.”

Beckham also had an interview with Sky News, but the outlet reports he refused to answer when correspondent Paul Kelso asked if he had a message for Brooklyn or if he was disappointed that the family’s issues were being aired publicly.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn brought up examples of alleged hurtful behavior in his series of social media posts.

The 26-year-old wrote, “I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.”

Brooklyn insisted, “I’m not being controlled. I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”

He said, “My family values public promotion and endorsement above all else,” calling their social media posts “performative.”

He specifically brought up his father’s 50th birthday in London. He said David “refused all of our attempts” to spend quality time together “unless it was at his big birthday party with a hundred guests and cameras at every corner.”

Brooklyn added, “When he finally agreed to see me, it was under the condition that [my wife] Nicola wasn’t invited. It was a slap in the face. Later, when my family travelled to LA, they refused to see me at all.”

He ended by saying, “The narrative that my wife controls me is completely backwards. I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life. I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief.”

Brooklyn insisted, “My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want is peace, privacy, and happiness or us and our future family.”