Garrett Gee, a well-known influencer, recently opened up about a video that stirred up a lot of talk. The video showed him throwing his son from a cliff. He shared his thoughts on the controversy with People magazine in an interview published on Saturday, September 27.
Gee admitted he gets why people who only saw that one clip might be upset. He told People, "If someone stumbled upon that video and only saw that video, then I agree with them." He added, "This looks terrible, and this father is pushing his son too much." However, he believes his long-time followers understand his family’s cautious and thoughtful way of parenting.
The video that started it all went viral back in July. Gee, who runs The Bucket List Family account, has gathered more than 3 million followers on Instagram. The clip showed him giving his son a pep talk about jumping into the water at Lake Powell. When his son hesitated, Gee ended up tossing the little one off the cliff himself.
Gee had a lot to say in the video’s caption. He wrote, "This is NOT parenting advice." He warned, "This is NOT something I advise you to try." He also made it clear, "Also, this is NOT something we have done with all our children." He explained that every child is different, so teaching them "HOW TO JUMP FROM A CLIFF" varies too. He listed his priorities: "Without a doubt, the first priority is safety. The second is to learn that YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS. The third is to HAVE FUN :)."
He continued to explain his reasoning for the controversial toss. "Well, speaking of the main priority, safety," Gee noted, "we took our youngest, Cali, to a cliff height that we knew was safe for him." He believed the real danger was if Cali hesitated, didn’t jump far enough, and fell down the side. To be extra safe, since his son wanted to jump but wasn’t confident, Gee said, "I launched him." He compared it to a "baby eagle" needing to "be launched out of the nest and learn that IT CAN FLY!"
Gee even jokingly "warned" his followers about the long-term effects. "Teaching your children to be brave starts to turn against you when they grow up and start jumping from heights that even you don’t dare to!!" He ended his caption with a shout-out: "BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! HAVE FUN! — @thebucketlistfamily."
The video quickly sparked a lot of comments. Many followers called the idea "terrible." Yet, others praised Gee’s parenting style. Kimberly Van Der Beek, wife of actor James Van Der Beek, commented at the time, "This. Is. Phenomenal. On so many levels."
Now, Gee reflects on his aim to create a safe, comfy space while still encouraging his children, and his wife Jessica’s children, to step outside their comfort zones. He shared with People, "A small part of me felt sad when I read the comments because you could notice how many people didn’t have the opportunity to be encouraged by their parents to try new things and stayed within their comfort zone."
Even though the video brought a lot of criticism, Gee stated that it didn’t bother him. "I am very sure of who my wife and I are as parents, of our intentions, and how careful, cautious, and loving we are," he told the magazine. He simply added, "It didn’t affect me. I understand the nature of the internet."