Agreed, my daughter is a little older then Katie's son and would not have asked for time with the family, as a gift. I just don't think those thoughts occur to ones that young. She would most definitely ask for her favourite games to be played so I believe that at least!
I don't have a problem with the neighbours coming and clapping/cheering/singing for a four year old. It's a nice way to express affection in these isolated times and I don't think it cheapens the NHS clap.
I just hate the way she has to pretend it's all spontaneous and wasn't planned. Another poster hit the nail on the head, it's the presentation of this sweet twee life that is so obviously artificial.
I respect her decision not to show the shit bits of life. I think she's right not to show the kids misbehaving (in fact I think she and all influencers should take it a step further and not show them at all or not as a content mainstay). I don't why she has to go in the opposite direction, and sugar coat the mundane.
On reflection I think you could be right about it being nice that the neighbours came out to wish Wren a happy birthday and I also think you're right that showing affection at this time is nice to do. The neighbours may have thought to do this 'gesture' themselves but I honestly don't really believe that. I think they may have done had they had children of a similar age to Katie's children or otherwise been close to the family but from what Katie has said herself this appears not to be the case. Maybe lockdown has changed that but I doubt it? Actually, it's my opinion, she just wants to portray the perfect ideal. She isn't alone in this as far as mummy vloggers are concerned though - her portrayal is just more sugary sweet than most.
In general terms I find mummy vloggers an irritating group. I dislike how they portray life in the way they do. I feel many of these vloggers have come to really believe their own rhetoric and because people watch, comment positively, like & subscribe really do believe (in spite of insincere self protests) that as mothers they are somehow getting it so right they can share it with the rest of the world. They have nice homes because they have hit on a way of earning money and being the recipients of many gifted items. You hear them say it isn't easy to be a youtuber/IGer. I'm afraid I don't believe that. I think it is an easier way to earn money and an easier life style choice. I don't believe they would chuck in other careers or do it if it weren't an easier and more lucrative option. Why would they?
I think portraying life as perfect can be very damaging to others. I think people make negative comparisons that leave them feeling they aren't quite matching up, aren't getting it quite as right or don't some how quite hit the mark etc. I think a few minutes of carefully edited video which is shot in a pre-prepared clean and tidy home and showing life as you want to depict it and not as it really is gives a very false impression. Noone can match a reality that isn't actually reality.
I personally think these vlogger families compromise and risk an awful lot in order to give the impression of having it all. I think they comprimise their child's privacy. I think they risk their safety. I don't think we know yet what the long term psychological damage being 'shared' with the world will have on these children but I suspect it may cause future MH problems. In my opinion it is absolutely wrong to share children's lives with people you don't know. By all means use social media to share your children with friends & family but why would you want to do that with the world in general? These mothers and fathers are selling their children's privacy, possibly dignity and risking their safety for what? Money, life style, free stuff, a large home? No, that's not for me. I think there is a human cost to mummy vlogging and that human cost is their very own children. It's just not worth it.