Travel influencer faces backlash after tossing son, 7, off a cliff for ‘fun': ‘Absolutely unacceptable'
Garrett Gee, a former tech founder turned 'adventure journalist' extraordinaire, recently posted a video that left viewers equally horrified and impressed.
The viral Instagram video on his family's Instagram account, @thebucketlistfamily, which has amassed almost 4 million views, sees Gee with his son on a large rock ledge, jutting out over Lake Powell, a reservoir between Arizona and Utah.
Cali, Gee's 7-year-old son, initially appeared apprehensive about jumping into the water, but before long, his father threw him off the rock.
'To be extra safe, because he wanted to jump but was not feeling confident, I threw him,' the influencer clarified in the lengthy caption.
He continued, 'Eventually, a baby eagle needs to leave the nest … or be tossed out of the nest.'
He also added that the way he and his wife 'parent, discipline, and teach how to cliff jump is quite different, depending on the child, as all three kids are unique. 'We took our youngest Cali to a cliff height that we knew he would be safe. Really, the biggest danger would be if he hesitated, didn't jump far out, and fell down the cliffside.'
The older two kids followed in Cali's footsteps and enthusiastically jumped off the taller section of the boulder soon after.
Gee's parenting philosophy, according to him, emphasizes safety, bravery and exploration, and travels around the world with his family to give his kids these experiences. While some viewers commend Gee and his wife for this approach, others have said this video goes too far, and criticize the couple for 'exploiting their kids on social media,' as one user put it.
'Trauma therapy up ahead for these kids,' wrote one concerned commenter.
'Absolutely unacceptable, man. Not cool at all. As you said, every child needs different treatment, and you can't possibly predict how he feels about this subconsciously about this act. I sincerely hope it will not grow esoterically as a projection of paternal betrayal,' chastised another.
Some viewers believed the outrage in the comments was overblown and said as long as the kids are safe and happy, there's no harm done.
'You guys know this already, but for others reading, please make sure you center safety with cliff jumping and teach your kids how before they just go out and do it,' advised one user. 'This can be such a fun activity!! But safety, safety, safety first!!'
'I visit Lake Powell very often. People need to understand that what they jumped off is a small cliff. Probably not even 10 feet high. Lake Powell does not encourage 'cliff jumping' over a certain height,' a local said.
Despite the online backlash, Gee's 7-year-old son seemed to be fine with the stunt — unsurprisingly, a short, but action-packed lifetime of surfing, hot air balloon expeditions and hiking will do that to a kid.
Kids in influencer families sometimes struggle to balance their parents' work on social media with their own interests, hobbies and educations — one child was even pulled out of school at age 12 to kickstart her content creation career.
As their kids have gotten older, Gee and his wife decided to buy a house in Hawaii, and are open about how their kids attend public school, and the family does their serious travelling during breaks.
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Otherwise, you're the only one holding the weight of this massive transition. Ask yourself: What does support actually look like for me? It might be: your partner handling 100% of toddler snacks, school runs and bedtime. Your mom or a friend helping with dishes, or friends setting up a meal train (people want to help you — let them!). And if you're a friend reading this, go more concrete rather than vague, so stuff like 'What's your fav coffee order?' or 'I'm going to drop off food this afternoon,' instead of 'Let me know if you need anything.' In your family, the most important pre-baby conversations aren't about bassinets. They're about boundaries, expectations and who's doing what while you're recovering. Here are three key talks to have: With your partner: 'What does support look like for me and for us? I want you to lead, not ask. I need to be able to rest and recover, guilt-free. I need water and food before I'm a hungry, crying monster. You're on kid duty for the first two weeks. What do you need? How can we make a system that works for us both?' Figuring it all out ahead of time — before you're in the chaos — is a game changer. With your village: 'Want to help? Amazing. Here's how: meals, dishes, take the toddler to the park. No visitors unless invited.' Adapt it to exactly what you want. The more explicit, the more effective. And don't forget: Your people love you and want to help. Let them! You're not a burden. This is a unique, short amount of time in the grand scheme of life. Lean in. With your kids: 'Things will feel different for a while. The first week or two, we'll do lots of resting together — you can always snuggle with me. I just won't be able to walk a lot as my body gets better. So if you need snacks, help with going potty or anything else, Daddy will be the main helper. It won't be forever, just at first. And I always love you — that will never change!' You can adapt this to be what you want to express. Being flexible is also important. Set the expectation: 'If something's not working, we will pivot together.' You're modeling how to handle change and how to stay connected through it. Bottom line? Birth changes everything. But when you talk about it first, it doesn't break everything. It builds something deeper. More honest. More resilient. And that's a win for the whole family. Solve the daily Crossword
