The account @MiddlebridgeMom, run by Cathy, was a top influencer account for parents.. While on public outings, Cathy famously shot live videos with tips for being better parents. Her 18-month-old son Charlie never cried in high-pressure (or low-pressure) situations.
Single Dad Scott Jones struggled to get his own son in and out of his car seat, and with pretty much everything else. So he tracked down Cathy, and she agreed to talk to him.
“What am I doing wrong?” Scott asked. The two sat at a food court with Cathy’s son Charlie, who was smiling and happy to be there.
“You’re not doing anything wrong,” Cathy said. “It’s a magic trick.”
“What’s the trick?” Scott asked.
Cathy paused for a second, then twirled her finger. She rose and said, “Oh, Charlie, I need to fix your jacket.”
Just then, a woman pushing a stroller rolled by, and as she approached, Cathy moved in front of Charlie. The woman with the stroller continued, but the child in the stroller started crying.
Scott tried to process what he had just seen. “You have twins? And switch them out?”
“Triplets, actually,” Cathy said. “But the world thinks I only have one kid. I have a team of people moving the children around. You don’t become the best online influencer by playing by the rules.”
At that moment, Scott decided he didn’t want to be that good of a parent.