A mommy vlogger caused outrage on TikTok after sharing an unusual parenting hack. The video in question has since been deleted, and the account for user @andersonfam6619 is now private. However, the recap account Unplugged Moments (@unpluggledmoments) shared screenshots of the original post and recounted the entire incident.
In the original video from @andersonfam6619, the mommy vlogger shares a hack she uses at the discount store Five Below. Essentially, she says she lets her child pick any items she wants and add them to their basket. However, once at checkout, the child has to pick only a few items that they actually purchase.
According to Unplugged Moments, this sparked debate among viewers. Many felt it was unfair to make a worker put away the items when the mom knew she was not going to buy them in the first place.
Unplugged Moments did not respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment as of publication.
What did the mommy vlogger say?
The vlogger then posted a follow-up video, which also also since been deleted. Unplugged Moments shared several snippets.
“I do not understand the world today where people just think that they are entitled to just stand around at their job,” the mom said. “If I ask an employee like, ‘Hey, I don’t have time to pull all these things back. Are you willing to help me out?’ They are usually so nice and like, ‘Yes, of course, I’ll help you. Ma’am.’”
In response to this, Unplugged Moments said, “I get the whole thing about customer service, but at the same time, let’s have a little bit more respect for [the workers] and not take advantage of them. It’s great that you want to create memories with your daughter, but how about you limit the items that you have in the basket. Pick things out that you will actually buy.”
@unpluggedmoments Parenting hack gone wrong #customerservice #bekind #takingadvantage #employees #worklife #retail #customersbelike #respect #dollartree #fivebelow #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound – Unplugged Moments
The recap account shared further snippets of the follow-up video where the mother adds, “[The workers are] not there to just stand around. Their job is to help the customer in the store, whether that being helping them restock things, helping at the cash register, or doing whatever that job entails.”
The mom continued, “It’s not like we’re doing this all the time. It’s once in a blue moon where we go into the store to do these kinds of things. So get over yourselves.”
Again, Unplugged Moments pointed out, “[It] doesn’t matter if you do it every day or every other day. Have a little bit more respect for these workers out there, you said that you’re in the retail or whatever industry yourself, you should understand.”
TikToker @andersonfam6619 didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via Instagram direct message.
Viewers disapproved of the parenting hack
Parenting is always a hot topic on TikTok. Recently, creator @nursehannahbh went viral after sharing her struggles with motherhood. In one particularly raw clip, she collected 17 dirty diapers around her house. This prompted a discussion about hygiene and motherhood in the comments. It also led to Hannah being dubbed the “17 diapers mom.”
Similarly, Unplugged Moments’ recap video garnered a lot of attention, receiving 2.1 million views.
With the original video deleted, TikTokers took to Unplugged Moments’ comment section to share their outrage at the mommy vlogger.
“She’s talking about entitlement but yet doesn’t see what she did wrong?” one asked.
“Unless she’s the manager of that store, the workload of the workers is none of her concern,” another added. “She doesn’t delegate their workload.”
A third wrote, “I’ve NEVER seen an employee standing around at my Dollar Tree. They don’t even have enough staff to stock the shelves.”
Other commenters also highlighted how this parenting hack could impact the child.
One said, “I think it’s almost even worse to trick the kid that she gets the things that she has picked out. I mean, that is really not nice to the kid.”
Five Below didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via contact form.
