David Beckham has urged parents to give their children space to stumble and learn, speaking publicly about parenting just one day after his son Brooklyn ignited global headlines by airing family tensions on Instagram.

Appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Tuesday, the former England captain avoided any direct reference to the controversy. Instead, he spoke broadly about raising children in the age of social media and the responsibility that comes with having a public platform.

Beckham reflected on his long-standing work with Unicef, saying: “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 added that the same philosophy guides how he raises his own family. “I’ve tried to do the same. 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.”

The remarks have been widely interpreted as an indirect response to Brooklyn Beckham’s emotional social media statement, which laid bare personal grievances and sparked intense scrutiny of the family. While David Beckham did not mention the post, his comments appeared to underscore a belief in allowing his children autonomy — even when their choices play out under the glare of a global audience.

Emphasizing the importance of restraint, David Beckham concluded: “So that’s what I try to teach my kids. But you know, you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well.”