Using your children for financial gain

[longway]

I was watching a popular YouTube family vlog today of them introducing their new baby to the world. They have released and created a book about their children and their newborn baby and used their new baby’s birth as way to promote their book. I’m all for people using fun and unique ways to promote their business but to use your child’s birth is a bit extreme. It’s like the child is a pawn in their income which weirded me out a bit. I personally think it’s strange to use your children as way to source your income, although I know a lot of people on social media do this. I really liked watching this family and their vlogs but this video put me off from watching them again.

Am I just very old fashioned and should except this is the new modern world we live in or am I right in thinking this is weird?

Nothing that hasn't been done loads of times before, lots of celebrity mums bring books out about parenting because clearly they are the only person in the world to have a baby ever.

It's all a bit old now isn't it?

They wouldn’t do it if people didn’t watch. They’ve chosen that method of earning money and it works for many, quite lucratively

See Tess Daly, Myleene Klass, Giovanna Fletcher etc.

It's very weird, what are they going to do for an income when they're cute kids turn into gobby teens - not sure there's a market for seeing a grumpy 14 year old sleeping and mooching about! obviously not indicative of all teenagers

Ah the Saccone-Jolys! I like to watch them :) but yeah I do agree a lot of family vloggers definitely use their kids for views.

I personally wouldn't want my young children (if I had any) out there for anyone to watch.

Also their book is HIDEOUSLY overpriced!

I know someone whose younger dc has had a part in a tv soap since birth, and older dcs do modelling shoots for adverts like the Argos catalogue. She doesn't save the fees that they earn for them in trust, she spends it all on family holidays because she says that benefits everyone and it's family money. That makes me more annoyed than the vloggers.

@CthulhuInDisguise oh my god that's awful!!

@adoggymama I just find the fact they use the birth as a way for money is awful. It’s like they sat there and discussed business ventures and having another baby was one of them.

I just think about how those kids will feel when they are older, knowing they have spent a lot of their childhood on screen, being home educated because the youngest is on set at the other end of the country from where they live, and will have nothing to show for it.

Have you ever seen Ryan's Toys? Young kid about 6 years old, demonstrating all these fancy new toys. My 5 yo dgs is hooked. Now the father, mother and baby sister are all in on the act, no doubt earning a fortune.

I used to watch them, probably before my 4 year old was born, I think they had one or two children then.

I stopped watching as it go ridiculous, I'm sure she had a nanny, cleaner, dog walker etc but they didn't leave the house.

I still have them on my Instagram and nothing they post make me want to watch them. This post doesn't shock me

I always wonder how the kids of vloggers will feel when they are older with their parents putting out every bit of detail about their health etc out there for all to see. Plus pimping your kids out for a free holiday or a free cream just doesn’t sit well with me

I always wonder how it will affect the children when they've grown up (or in fact their childhood growing up too). It's all getting a bit much now, 'instamums' (& dads) are making a living off their children & documenting their every move, it doesn't quite sit right with me. I feel very sorry for the children involved, yes they may have more money or expensive toys.. but at what cost? Privacy.

I was shocked by a Youtube family that the mum "manages" the kids, companies send toys for the kids to unbox and review for money, and they've had to come out of school to home educate because of bullying. Sad childhood, pretending to really love cheap tat toys for the camera for money.

If you think that's crazy you should have a look at what's been going on with the Ingham Family vloggers. Those poor daughters of theirs.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/youtuber-chris-ingham-bombarded-young-12993654

I once came across another family’s vlog about their 12 year old daughters first period, not sure if she’s home schooled but if not I can’t imagine the kids at school not laughing about that video.

Another Vlogger who clearly has loads of money ie always talking about her husbands business and all the celebs whose hair he cuts etc. Has done a ton of videos hacks for this how I keep my house clean with three boys etc. Turns out she has a cleaner it’s all just so fake .

Rillete I seen that in the sun those poor girls that will follow them around forever .

@longway That's familyfizz. I much prefer them- feel like they're a little more real about issues and don't shower their kids in gifts all the time like the Ingham family. They also donate loads of presents each year to children at Christmas :)

I think the daughter actually chose herself to feature her period as she has her own channel too, but you can't be sure I guess!

OK, name changed for this but very regular poster.

My child is bright, very bright. They were spotted in a museum at a very young age reading the signs and understanding the exhibits. (Spotted by someone who looks for such things, yes, this is their job, who knew?!)

We were asked whether we would be interested in having our child filmed for a TV show in production. Long story short we are still considering but went to an initial meeting. The money offered is astronomical. It would pay for school for many years. The other parents we met, many wary like us, were equally shocked by the money offered.

I think you have to take into account the lifestyle change this way of living offers vs the disruption to the family routine when judging it.

My child is too young to make this decision. It is a difficult one.