Let me start by saying this: I adore the Irwins.
I was glued to The Crocodile Hunter, sobbed through Steve's memorial, and cheered as little Robert grew into the confident, camera-ready young man he is today.
But lately, there's something a bit off about watching Terri Irwin and her son together, and I know I'm not the only one who's noticed.
Take her surprising cameo on the American version of Dancing with the Stars last week, which left almost everyone in tears.
Robert broke down as he dedicated his dance to Terri and 'all the mums who don't get the recognition they deserve'.
Terri wept as she told him how much she loved him. The judges were crying. Many viewers were in tears, too.
It was a beautiful moment - and yet, for me, it felt staged, desperate and oddly self-indulgent.
You see, DWTS isn't the first time Terri has turned up at Robert's workplace.
She was spotted on set of Australia's version of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! - which he co-hosts - and, from what I'm told by industry contacts, it was awkward.
How many mothers of 21-year-old sons do you see trotting around the world after them, inserting themselves into their career opportunities, managing to somehow always make it about both of them?
For some reason, Robert even felt the need to apologise to his mum on a previous episode of DWTS for taking his shirt off. A joke, perhaps? But still odd.
Fans have previously noted how Terri and Robert seem to be 'joined at the hip' after she was in almost every one of his holiday photos from May.
A source also claimed last December that Terri had misgivings about her son's Stellar magazine cover that positioned him as a 'sex symbol'.
Terri, if you're reading this, as a mother of three boys I adore, let me offer you some words of advice: this is going to end in tears.
Robert is an adult now: charming, handsome and carving out his own successful path.
But how can he truly thrive when professional moves he makes are overshadowed by your presence?
'How can Robert truly thrive when professional moves he makes are overshadowed by your presence?' asks Daily Mail's Jonica Bray
It's intense and overbearing.
Frankly, it's veering into stage-mother territory and crossing that unspoken line most parents instinctively know not to breach once their children reach a certain age.
I get it. Losing Steve was unimaginable. You were a young mother, suddenly widowed, holding together a legacy that meant everything to him - and to Australia, your adopted home country.
You raised your kids under the glare of global fame, and you did so with grace. You were strong when the world expected you to crumble.
But somewhere along the way, your fierce protection of your children - specifically Robert - has started to appear clingy.
And I promise you, the more you cling, the more you risk losing him.
This type of behaviour likely affects other areas of his life, too.
While we don't know much about Robert's dating life, every sniff of a rumoured romance seems over before it's begun. Why is that, Terri?
There's no middle ground here: Either you'll 'win' and Robert will spend his life tethered to you, never achieving the independence he deserves. Or he'll finally break free, and your starring role in his life will be over.
An old proverb comes to mind: 'A son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter all of her life.'
Robert deserves to fall in love, to make mistakes, to build a life that's his own - not his father's and, more importantly, not yours.
He deserves the space to become Robert Irwin, not 'Steve’s son' or 'Terri’s boy'.
You can't protect him forever, Terri. As heartbreaking as it is, all mothers must accept this.
Look, there was nothing wrong with Robert dedicating his dance to you - your daughter Bindi did the same for Steve when she appeared on the same show years ago.
But I do have another gripe with this. Why did Robert paint a picture of you as a mum who 'doesn't get recognition'?
I'm not sure I know a woman more celebrated than you, Terri.
You’ve been showered with accolades: an honorary doctorate from the University of Queensland; an award for excellence in women’s leadership; induction into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame; the Order of Australia.
You’ve also been praised endlessly in the media and even have your own memoir.
You’re not a single mum quietly struggling for recognition, and it shouldn’t be Robert’s job to step into his father’s shoes or fill the void Steve left behind.
Terri, you don’t need more public acclaim. You need to step back - and let your son live his own life.