A father named Garrett Gee decided to teach his son a lesson about self-confidence by throwing him off a cliff.
Garrett, an influencer and founder of The Bucket List Family, posted the moment on Sunday (July 13), garnering over 3.5 million views.
The clip shows the father speaking with his 7-year-old, Calihan, atop a rock formation at Lake Powell.
Highlights
- Garrett Gee threw his 7-year-old son off a cliff at Lake Powell to help him overcome fear and build his self-confidence.
- The father said his son chose to be thrown because he was too scared to jump.
- The video sparked mixed reactions, with some praising the lesson and others calling it traumatizing.
At one point, Garrett picks Calihan up and tosses him off the cliff into the water below. He then jumps in to join his son for a swim.
An influencer dad threw his 7-year-old son off a cliff to help him face his fears
Image credits: garrettgee
Though Calihan could be heard screaming on the way down, he appeared calm once he resurfaced. Onlookers cheered, celebrating the young boy's bucket list moment.
In the caption of the video, the father clarified that he wasn't trying to give "parental advice" and noted that he hadn't pushed his other two children.
Image credits: thebucketlistfamily
"Each kid is quite different so the way we parent, discipline, and teach HOW TO CLIFF JUMP is quite different :)," he began. "For sure 1st priority is safety. 2nd is learning that YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS. 3rd is HAVE FUN :)"
Garett said he knew his youngest child would be safe, adding that the jump would have been far more dangerous if he had "hesitated, didn't jump far out, and fell down the cliff side."
Garrett Gee founded the vlogging channel Bucket List Family with his wife, Jessica
Image credits: thebucketlistfamily
"So to be extra safe, because he wanted to jump but was not feeling confident.. I threw him. Eventually a baby eagle needs to leave the nest.. or be tossed out of the nest ;) and learn HE CAN FLY!"
The father concluded the post with a warning: "Teaching your kids to be brave starts to backfire when they become older and begin jumping from heights that you don't even dare!! /// BE SAFE OUT THERE! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS! HAVE FUN!"
"He didn't look happy. He looked traumatized," one person wrote.
"Negligent and irresponsible just for views?!!" another commented.
"The scream says it all. He's not ready. I hate this for him," added a third.
Garrett said his son wanted to jump off the cliff at Lake Powell but was too scared
Image credits: thebucketlistfamily
"Hell yeah!! That's such an important memory. It's ok to be scared; sometimes all we need is a little push (or throw) to achieve the goal!!" a separate user commented.
Image credits: thebucketlistfamily
"Scary for me too because I need to make sure he doesn't cling onto me and hit the cliffs and also make sure he hits the water feet first. Kinda tricky but I feel like it's part of the dad job description ;)."
The Bucket List family consists of Garrett, Jessica, and their three children: Dorothy Seven, Manillam and Calihan
Image credits: thebucketlistfamily
That same year, they launched The Bucket List Family, which now boasts nearly 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube.
Garrett said 7-year-old Calihan chose to be be thrown, even if it was "scary"
Image credits: thebucketlistfamily
Garrett and Jessica have also introduced their children to other thrilling adventures, such as surfing with sharks and swimming with an octopus.
Image credits: thebucketlistfamily
National Geographic has published a book about The Bucket List Family, which features family anecdotes and tips for picking a destination, packing, budgeting, and surviving a 12-hour plane ride with young children.
