A father who shares content of his family on TikTok and YouTube is now speaking out after a video of them opening holiday gifts went viral.
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Why Did The Family Go Viral?
According to TikTok and YouTube, the Edwards family consistently shares lifestyle content with their over 400,000 followers on TikTok and over 25,000 YouTube subscribers.
However, one video in particular garnered the family of six a viral spotlight.
A TikTok video shared on Tuesday, January 2, showed the youngest daughter of the family, Jaleel, who is seven years old, ripping open an Amazon package. Her three siblings, mother, and father looked on as Jaleel apparently hoped the package would contain an iPhone.
However, Jaleel’s excitement quickly turned to confusion when she ripped open the package to reveal a box of tea.
Jaleel turned the package to the camera as her sister, Jada, read its label.
“Slim tea? Really?” Jada asked, turning to the camera person, who appeared to be one of their parents.
As Jada returned the box to Jaleel, her excitement returned.
“Wait… I know what this is!” she exclaimed, eagerly ripping the box. “It’s something I needed.”
Before Jaleel could finish ripping the box open, the clip ends.
@nofakelove_lee
She gave the phone to jaleel #jaleel #jaleelsisterjada #jaleelbrotherjeremiah #jaleelbrotherjayden #fyp #fypシ #foryourpage #foryoupage #foryou
♬ original sound – NFL💔LEE
Social Media Reacts
Social media users quickly took to the comment section of TikTok. Many appeared to believe that Jaleel’s parents gifted her the Slim Tea.
One user, whose handle features a heart emoji, wrote.
“This actually is so traumatic”
Another user named Destiny wrote.
“Because instead of helping her cut back and watching what she eats y’all buy her slim tea??! At 7??! And now she’s in the mindset that she needs it??!”
Meanwhile, a third user added.
“This is so heartbreaking.”
Additionally, reactions also flooded in on Twitter.
This is so wrong the parents got their daughter slim tea for a present! pic.twitter.com/KwU5OMkpoY
— Tamorah Shareef Muhammad (@ModestyQueen19) January 3, 2024
What’s extra diabolical about that little girls present being slim tea is that it’s from the people who feed her and raise her. Like let’s assume she has an unhealthy relationship with food, she’s barely 10 years old, she won’t know better than you the adult. I feel sad for her
— Delulu with a dash of spicy (@Pentsirrr) January 3, 2024
Others speculated that the package could have been sent from a party outside Jaleel’s family. However, users still voiced their disappointment in the family’s reaction and recording of the vulnerable moment.
It is extremely evil for someone to have sent that little girl on TikTok some slim tea.
It’s also quite sinister that her guardians are allowing so much access to the kids that they’re unboxing “gifts” from viewers that haven’t been screened by trusted adults
— Coco (@_hotc0c0) January 2, 2024
That video of that baby opening a “gift” of slim tea has really pissed me off. Putting her trauma on display like that is just inhumane. Can’t imagine how alone and misunderstood she must feel. For most of the ridicule to be from her own family is just…no words smh.
— Cindy Noir✨ (@thecindynoir) January 3, 2024
And if you think being recorded as you open a “slim tea” gift and your FAMILY clowns you as you do, isn’t traumatic idk what to tell you. These moments will be what she has to heal from as she gets older.
— Cindy Noir✨ (@thecindynoir) January 3, 2024
The Father Speaks Out
On Wednesday, January 3, Jaleel’s father, Lee, took to Instagram to share a video clarifying the circumstances of the viral footage. Lee explained that he and the mother of his children did not purchase the Slim Tea for their daughter.
Additionally, he said that the whole family was “shocked” when Jaleel opened her present.
“I just said it was tea. I didn’t know it was slim tea until they started saying it,” he continued. “So at the end of the day, I wasn’t even gon’ make it like no joke or nothing when I seen Jaleel say that she needed it — as long as the kid’s happy [then] I’m happy.”
Furthermore, Lee slammed TMZ for falsely reporting that he and the kid’s mother ordered the gift for Jaleel.
Watch the father’s full sentiments here.
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