I am sure lots of people have been drawn to this site in recent days and I really hope some of what has been said has had an important impact. I cannot be the only (fairly) "normal" woman who has watched vlogs and, despite having a happy life, been left feeling like somehow something has gone wrong in my life, because despite us both working incredible hard, in decent jobs, the lifestyles in the vlogs just isn't achievable.
I'm not gullible, I'm not jealous and I'm not bitter. I wouldn't for a second resent the experiences a family can afford their children. But it seems "afford" is the key word. I know vlogging families probably want to keep their freebies quiet so as not to stir resentment in viewers, but instead it leaves viewers feeling baffled as to how on earth they are managing to maintain such a lifestyle when both parents are at home.
I'm nice and cynical and it's surprised me how these vlogs have insidiously got to me. I am sure there must be many others left feeling the same. Somehow when Lee was working I "got" their lifestyle. Now they need much more transparency to let people know what is what. Because boy, there must be some folk who watch their lifestyle and feel pretty deflated.
Someone mentioned that sponsorships do pay well. Do they really? That well? Because otherwise I cannot for the life of me figure out how they are doing all this. All the work to their old house and now this very expensive house. And the two cars... Rather than seeing the vlogs as aspirational now, I think many are just left feeling "where have I gone wrong?"
They are a business and I hope they can take constructive criticism. Viewers want to aspire to something but it must at least seem achievable. I fear the backlash makes them very vulnerable as big sponsorships will back away. Living firmly in the real world that would be keeping me awake at night because as a parent it's all about the stable future for your children isn't it and heck, social media feels like such a fragile foundation for that.