Parents cop backlash for sharing controversial way to get alone time on cruise

"We can explain," the pair said, after admitting to leaving their toddlers unattended on the ship.

A TikTok couple have come under fire for admitting to 'FaceTiming' their infant children while out to dinner on a cruise with their extended family.

While they were enjoying their meal at one of the onboard restaurants, their toddlers were allegedly left unattended in their room while the parents watched them on a baby monitor. 

However, the couple have since come out to defend their post, adding a crucial piece of information they say was missing from the story.

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Image: Instagram

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"It worked out better for everyone"

Social media parenting influencers Matt and Abby Howard recently took a week-long cruise with their family. However, the couple said they needed some 'alone time', so they left their two sleeping kids in their room while they went out to dinner one night towards the end of their trip.

"So we ended up taking them for five nights and it became apparent that they weren't enjoying it and therefore we weren't either," she said in a now-deleted Instagram story.

Abby continued: "So then we switched our dinner time to after their bedtime and FaceTimed the monitors while we ate. And that worked out muchhhh better for everyone!"

She added, "Baby monitors don't work on board unless you're only like 10 feet away," explaining why they had to FaceTime their kids.

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'Power couple' face immense backlash

Unsurprisingly, the internet had major concerns, even drawing parallels to what happened to three-year-old Madeleine McCann in 2007.

Others called for the couple to be cancelled or at least lose some of their following.

Comments included:

• "Matt and Abby are idiots. They either are clueless or don’t care."
• "They don’t give two sh*ts about their children."
• "They had to 'rearrange their dinner' to parent. It’s ludicrous!!"
• "They really should be looked into for neglect. You are on a BODY of water, where there are smaller bodies of water (pools, hot tubs). You are on a f**king ship with tons of places kids could get lost… and there are tons of people."
• "Cruise ships are huge. It would take you at least 20 min to get back to the room if God forbid you did see something. How could they think this is okay?"

The follow-up explanation

Since the backlash, Matt and Abby have made a follow-up video claiming that the post was "misconstrued." The clip has since been viewed 1.7 million times.

Matt began by saying the information was "completely untrue" and that "we take our role as parents very seriously. " 

"We had someone with our children at all times," Abby continues, "But I can see how my Instagram Story misconstrued that, which is why we deleted it. I could see it was causing concern and misunderstanding.

"And I do want to say thank you to all of you who were worried about the safety and wellbeing of our children. As their parents, that is our first and foremost concern."

She added: "We would not and will not leave our children unattended or put them in harm's way."

They also insinuated that it was someone in Abby's extended family looking after their kids while they were at dinner.

Image: Instagram

Comments on that clip were much more supportive:

• "People will find literally ANYTHING to tear you down for. You’re just a normal young family, living, learning and growing. Everyone in the comments acts like they’re perfect."
• "It’s so sad how quick people are to judge/assume here! You guys are incredible parents. Sending big hugs."
• "We are sorry that you guys have to explain this."
• "I'm so sorry that the internet twisted everything, and I'm so glad y'all spoke about your side and cleared everything up!"

However, a few people wondered why they'd watch the baby monitor if there was someone looking after their kids.

But other mums in the comments explained. "When my child was in the NICU (clearly always safe and monitored by machines and medical professionals), I still chose to watch the online stream when I couldn’t be there because I love him and I always wanted to see him. This isn’t different," one said.

Another added, "When my daughter was in daycare, I would literally have my iPad up watching the camera while I worked. The same would happen when she was asleep in her room or whatever, and we would be in a different room. I even have a camera set up to watch my dogs. I don’t understand why people don’t understand this."

Originally published as Parents cop backlash for sharing controversial way to get alone time on cruise