Inside the unusual lives of influencer kids – and their parents who steal their hard-earned money: Daughter of mommy blogger recalls being told her family would ‘STARVE’ if she didn’t perform – and says she often confused real life and social media

The daughter of a popular mom blogger has exposed the many downsides of having a child influencer – from being told her family would ‘starve’ if she didn’t perform on camera, to not knowing the difference between ‘ what was real and what was curated for social media.”

The woman, who is now in her 20s, spoke about the horrific reality of growing up as a young star on social media. Cosmopolitanexplaining that she worked tirelessly for years but “never saw a cent for her labor.”

She kept her identity hidden for privacy reasons, but the publication used the alias Vanessa throughout the interview.

Vanessa recalled having to “look perfect and beautiful” all the time and always act “as if nothing was wrong,” even on days when she wasn’t feeling her best.

Child stars – and the price they pay – have been a hot topic of conversation lately, amid news that popular vlogger Ruby Franke (seen) was arrested for abusing two of her children

And if she ever seemed unenthusiastic in her videos, she said her mother would “accuse her of not caring about their family.”

“If it seemed like I wasn’t trying hard enough to maintain that image, for example if my smile wasn’t as bright as it should be, or if I wasn’t saying a sentence with enough enthusiasm… it would usually turn into ( her) and accused me of not caring about our family,” she explained.

Mormon mother Ruby, 42, became an internet sensation thanks to her YouTube channel 8 Passengers

‘My mother asked me, ‘Do you want us to starve? Do you want us to not be able to pay our mortgage next month?’

Vanessa — who said she signed brand deals with companies like Disney, Huggies and Hasbro growing up — said she almost never had free time to just be a kid.

“It felt like maybe after this next campaign we would have more time to relax. And then it would never happen,” she said.

She recalled feeling isolated and different from her peers, explaining, “I felt strange that they didn’t have to work on social media or blog posts, or constantly pose for photos or videos.

“I realized they didn’t have to worry about or contribute to their family’s financial situation.”

She said she struggled to “separate” real life and social media content, and admitted the job put a strain on her relationship with her mother.

But Ruby’s wholesome image as a loving mother was torn apart last year when reports emerged claiming she had abused her children for years. She was seen in court

Meanwhile, Garrett Gee, who with his wife Jessica runs an account called The Bucket List Family, which often features their three children, defended his children in their content.

“Being an influencer kid turned my relationship with my mother into more of an employer-employee relationship than a parent-child relationship,” she continued.

“Once you cross the line from being family to coworkers, you can’t really go back.”

The former child star said that once she went through puberty, her mother monetized it too – letting her take part in sponsored posts for a sanitary napkin company as a teenager, which left Vanessa ‘mortified’.

“I just felt like I wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out,” she said.

Despite years of success, Vanessa revealed that there was no money left for her future as her mother would use it all up as quickly as it came in.

Influencers for children – and the price they have to pay – have been a hot topic of conversation on social media in recent months. concentration camp-like setting.’

Mormon mother Ruby, 42, became an internet sensation thanks to her YouTube channel 8 Passengers, where millions of viewers watched her and her then-husband Kevin document their daily lives with their six children.

But her wholesome image as a loving mother was torn apart last year when reports emerged claiming she had abused her children for years.

She was arrested along with her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt and the pair pleaded guilty in late December.

Chief Deputy Washington County Attorney Ryan Shaum said during the trial that two of her children were “regularly denied food, water, beds to sleep in, and virtually all forms of entertainment” and “forced to perform outdoor manual labor in the extreme summer heat. without shoes or socks.’

“They were also forbidden to socialize with others and were hidden in the house when people came to visit,” he added.

“They were beaten and the 12-year-old was tied hand and foot after he tried to run away.”

Garrett described their stardom as a “very incredible situation” and insisted that their children each had their own bank account with a fair share of their earnings set aside.

Momfluencer Adrea Garza, who often shares content with her twin daughters, told the outlet that she saves 15 percent of all the money she earns for her children’s future

In August, Illinois passed a law requiring parents to deposit 50 percent of social media revenue from the content their children participate in into a special bank account. It is the only state in the US that has laws regarding child influencers.

Many parents of children’s social media stars defended their decision to use their children in their content to Cosmopolitan and spoke about the importance of setting aside a portion of the revenue for the youngsters.

Garrett Gee, along with his wife Jessica, run an account called The Bucket List Family, which often features their three children on adventures around the world.

“It will help secure their future,” Graza promised. ‘It’s an opportunity that most people don’t get in life’

Their family account has amassed nearly three million followers, while each child has their own parent-managed profile with hundreds of thousands of followers.

Garrett ddescribed their stardom as a “very incredible situation” and insisted that their children should each have their own bank account into which a fair share of their earnings would be set aside.

‘Our children are in a very incredible situation where not only will they have healthy bank accounts that they have worked hard for and earned at whatever stage – when they are 18 or whatever – but they will also have the opportunity get on social media. account with hundreds of thousands of followers,” he said.

Momfluencer Adrea Garza, who has amassed more than 228,000 followers on Instagram, where she often shares content with her twin daughters, told the outlet that she saved 15 percent of all the money she earned for her children’s future.

“Koti and Haven don’t see creating content as work, but they clearly make money from it,” she said.

‘And it will help secure their future. Whether they go to college and become astronauts, this money will fund their NASA education.

“Or if they want to pursue something in the entertainment industry. It’s an opportunity that most people don’t get in a life where you can choose what you’re passionate about, and it’s not based on anything financial.”