TikTokers Matt and Abby spark backlash for dining without their kids amid cruise ship controversy

Matt and Abby Howard, a couple on TikTok known for posting content about their two toddlers, have responded to backlash after they were accused of leaving their children unattended on a cruise ship.

This week, Abby posted in a since-expired Instagram Story that she and her husband were leaving their children – Griffin, two, and August, one – in their room while the couple went to dinner elsewhere on the cruise ship.

“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,” her story read. “So THEN we switched our dinner time to AFTER their bedtime and FaceTimed the monitors while we ate.”

The mother explained in another Instagram Story that regular baby monitors don’t work on the cruise ship “unless you’re only like 10 feet away,” which is why they resorted to FaceTime instead. “And that worked out muchhhh better for everyone,” she added.

This led many people on TikTok to question their parental decision, claiming that young children should never be left alone under any circumstances.

“The most shocking thing about the Matt and Abby cruise situation is that they posted in REAL TIME that their kids were alone,” one person wrote in a video. “What if a follower was on that ship? A stalker? Literally anyone?? They are so lucky that nothing horrible happened.”

“I am up in arms even as someone who is not a parent,” another video about the couple began. “I love my nieces and nephews so deeply I would do anything for them. I won’t even let them get ice cream toppings at the store without holding my hand, let alone leaving them alone.”

On Monday, September 16, the couple responded to the backlash on TikTok by clarifying that they were traveling with Abby’s family members on the cruise ship. “We take our role as parents extremely seriously, and we love our children more than anything in the entire world, and we’re very protective of our kids,” Matt began the video.

He mentioned that they were on the cruise with their extended family, saying: “And people started to speculate, and believe, that we had left our children alone in their staterooms. And that is just completely untrue. We had someone with our children at all times on this boat. Period.”

Abby then chimed in: “I can see where my story did lead to misunderstanding, which is why I ended up deleting it several hours after posting it.”

She said that although she is grateful for many people feeling concerned for her children, she echoed Matt’s claims that “we have not, would not, will not ever leave our children unattended.”

At another point during the video, the TikToker mentioned that their toddlers always sleep in black-out tents – which they even take with them when they travel – and they also feature a slot to place a baby monitor. “Even if we are sleeping in the exact same room as the boys, we always turn their monitor on,” the mother of two said. “Even when we would tag-team and take turns at family dinner, we would turn on FaceTime so we could also have eyes on them as their parents if we weren’t the ones attending them in that moment.”

The video ended with Matt explaining how grateful both he and Abby were for family members being on the cruise ship, which allowed them to take some time away from constantly checking the baby monitors.

“And we’re so thankful to [Abby’s family members],” he said. “Because we spent a lot of our time on this boat in our staterooms manning the baby monitors. And if it wasn’t for Abby’s extended family, we really would have not gotten a chance to really get out of the room.”

The Independent has contacted Matt and Abby for comment.