A dad has sparked quite a debate online with his bold parenting style.
Garrett Gee, best known as the father behind The Bucket List Family, is drawing mixed reactions on social media after tossing his 7-year-old son off a cliff, all in the name of teaching him a lesson.
The influencer dad shared a video on Instagram showing him throwing his youngest son, Cali, off a rocky ledge into the ocean during a family vacation.
In the clip, the young boy hesitates to leap into the water until his dad picks him up and tosses him.
While the video may cause some viewers’ stomachs to drop, Gee insists his child’s safety was his top priority.
“This is NOT parental advice. This is NOT something I advise you try,” he writes in the caption.
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Gee continues, “Each kid is quite different, so the way we parent, discipline, and teach HOW TO CLIFF JUMP is quite different.”
He explains that his son wanted to jump off the rocky ledge, but fear was holding him back.
“The biggest danger would be if he hesitated, didn’t jump far out and fell down the cliff side,” he writes. “So to be extra safe … I threw him.”
Parenting or Pushing It? Influencer Dad Chunks 7-Year-Old Off Cliff to Face His Fears
Gee, who has three children with his wife Jess, framed the moment as a metaphorical milestone, writing: “Eventually a baby eagle needs to leave the nest … or be tossed out of the nest and learn HE CAN FLY!”
Internet Reaction: Mixed
Some followers applauded the influencer’s unorthodox teaching method as empowering, while others called his parenting move dangerous.
“Dad of the year,” one fan jokes, while another writes, “This isn’t brave — this is terrifying.”
Still, Gee stood by the lesson: “You can do hard things,” he adds. “Have fun. Be safe out there!”
Whether you agree or disagree with his parenting choices, Cali’s big leap has sparked a conversation about where encouragement ends and risk begins.
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes