Matt and Abby Howard, popular influencers, addressed online rumors claiming they left their children alone in a cruise ship cabin while they dined out.

Over the weekend, Abby, 25, shared an Instagram story stating she and her husband put their 1- and 2-year-old boys to bed and monitored them via FaceTime while they ate dinner. This led to widespread criticism, prompting the couple to release a video on Monday.

“We never left our children alone. We had someone with them at all times,” Matt Howard, 26, clarified, noting that they were on the cruise with Abby’s extended family. Abby acknowledged the “misunderstanding” her Instagram post caused, leading her to delete it shortly after.

With 5.3 million TikTok followers and 7.35 million YouTube subscribers, the Howards regularly share insights into their family life through content and their “The Unplanned Podcast.”

In her original Instagram story, Abby explained that the boys weren’t enjoying the cruise, so the couple shifted their dinner time to after their bedtime, FaceTiming the monitors while they dined.

In their Monday video, Abby thanked viewers for their concern and reassured everyone of their commitment to their children’s safety. “We have not, would not, and will not ever leave our children unattended,” she emphasized.

The couple also explained that they use blackout tents and baby monitors during travels to keep an eye on their children, ensuring they always have a visual of their boys, even when stepping away.