Like many families, Audrey and Jeremy Roloff are celebrating the arrival of warmer weather by spending extra time outdoors with their three kids. That includes scenic ATV rides around their sprawling farmland property in Hillsboro, Oregon, as Audrey documented in a new video she shared on Instagram. But what appeared to be a fun and harmless bonding moment for Jeremy, daughter Ember, and sons Bode and Radley has some fans taking the reality TV couple to task in the comments section.
Audrey shared this video on Sunday as she mused about the highs and lows of raising young kids
In the footage, Jeremy is giving their three kids a four-wheeler ride around the grounds of their home. He's holding Bode and Radley on his lap, while Ember holds onto her dad from behind. All three kids appear to be having a blast as the sun sets in the distance. "A simple phrase we've been saying to each other a lot in this season of littles: These are the days," Audrey began her lengthy caption.
Audrey was clearly feeling reflective when she shared the video
She went on to give fellow moms and dads some wise advice to encourage them on their parenting journey. "Next time you feel overwhelmed or overstimulated by parenting… or… full of joy and gratitude for the season you are in, try saying these words out loud to each other. It's a way of 'locking it in' and it's powerfully unifying," she wrote, touching on the duality of parenting.
"Yes, these days are often long, exhausting, repetitive, demanding, and chaotic… but also full of wonder, awe, joy, laughter, learning, gratitude, and the beauty of simplicity. We truly are cherishing these days of our kids being little."
She also touched on the importance of embracing fun and playtime with your kids
She wrote about how much she and Jeremy love having three children because they both have a "passion for preserving childhood." And now that they're living on their farm — they moved to the $1.5 million property in August 2022 — they feel they can really make this happen for their family.
"The childlike freedom that we saw in each other was one of the things that drew us together initially," Audrey continued. "Since becoming parents, we have longed for the days of giving our kids a magical childhood full of play, time in nature, building and creating, working together, being together, and learning by doing. It was a huge heart behind why we wanted property for our family, and we are so grateful to be here in this season."
While it was meant to inspire people, Audrey's thoughtful post backfired
The former Little People, Big World star may have poured her heart out in her message to her fans, but people were too distracted by what they saw in the accompanying video to really take in the words she shared. Critics called out the fact that Audrey and Jeremy's kids were riding on the vehicle without helmets, shoes, and seatbelts, putting their safety at risk. "It wouldn't take much to flip Ember off the back or hit a hole and turn the 4 wheeler over on them," one person commented, while another described the situation as "dangerous" and "irresponsible."
But some fans came to Jeremy and Audrey's defense
They pointed out how slow Jeremy was driving and that he was hardly being reckless. "He's going a mile an hour lol… people live in such fear these days," one commented, while another chimed in: "Those parents love their children and would never put them in harm's way."
So far, Audrey hasn't responded to the chatter on her post — but this is hardly the first time she's faced criticism for sharing her family life on social media, so she's likely just shrugging it off and refusing to wade into the negativity.
