My baby’s a money maker
My gorgeous littl’un is an Instagram influencer
Carefully pulling a stray wisp of hair from my son’s face, I grabbed my phone and snapped some photos. ‘Looking good, Ralphie,’ I smiled, clicking away. He looked so adorable. Perfect in his brand-new grey tracksuit, with his initials ‘RW’ stitched on the front.
Ralphie, 2, flashed me a grin.
Riding around the living room on his shiny toy car, he was such a little star.
And no stranger to the camera, either.
Since Ralphie was 2 weeks old, I’ve been snapping pics of him and posting them online.
I must have photographed him millions of times in countless different outfits.
Neither me nor my partner, Adam, 29, had any idea what a hit he’d become.
But within a month of me posting his photos on social media, our son had more than 1,000 followers on Instagram.
Of course, every mum thinks their child is the most gorgeous in the world.
But it seems there was something about Ralphie, with his golden hair and big blue eyes, that people just couldn’t get enough of.
I love his outfit! Look at his sweet face! people would write.
By June 2017, clothing and toy companies were contacting us, asking if we’d photograph Ralphie with their products.
By then, Ralphie had such a following, it was good PR for them.
We were bombarded with free designer outfits, the latest toys, gifts and furniture.
Things we could never have afforded for him if it wasn’t for his new-found fame.
‘I can’t believe it, look at this!’ I gasped to Adam, admiring a gorgeous high chair with Ralphie’s name on the back.
By the time he was 6 months old, a huge chunk of my day was taken up trying to get the perfect shot of Ralphie.
And with companies relying on us to post lovely pictures of their goods, it was a lot of pressure.
I was staying up until late posting pics online and responding to comments.
‘This is turning into a full-time job!’ I told Adam. But it was worth it.
As a result of Ralphie’s work, he had a beautiful bedroom and more than 200 designer outfits.
Plus, he’d been sent several
‘You’re a terrible mother!’ said one woman
brand-new buggies through working with companies.
You should give some of that stuff to charity, one person moaned on Instagram.
I rolled my eyes.
We were always donating stuff, just didn’t feel the need to shout about it.
But as the weeks went on and Ralphie’s followers grew, some people got more hostile.
Especially when we started getting offered days out, expensive meals and money in exchange for online advertising.
You should be ashamed of yourself, making money from your son, one angry lady wrote.
You’re a terrible mother, said another.
I was outraged. ‘They’re just jealous,’
Adam told me.
Anyone can see what a happy little boy our
Ralphie is.
Besides, every penny we make goes straight into his bank account. ‘It could pay for his house deposit one day,’ I told Adam. Far from taking advantage of my boy, it is all for his benefit. Of course, me and Adam do get treated, too, by PR companies wanting to publicise products or venues to show they’re family friendly. Beauty treatments, luggage sets, a lavish afternoon tea… Even a king-size mattress! But I’ve worked hard for it. My son’s Instagram account is a business, after all.
It takes a lot of effort to maintain.
And with nearly 20,000 followers, he’s now become a recognisable brand.
Yet he’s still just a normal little boy.
He has friends, enjoys play group, and going to the park. Most of the time, he doesn’t even notice when
I take his picture.
But I’ve had to ban family and friends from posting pictures of Ralphie online. It wouldn’t do to have him looking messy, with snot down his face or his hair unbrushed!
The brands that we’re working with want him looking immaculate.
If we have another child who’s as popular with followers as Ralphie, I’ll work just as hard for them, too.
As long as they are comfortable having their photo taken, of course.
And I’m sure Ralphie will be happy to show them how it’s done.
He’s incredibly photogenic. And I’m proud that I’m able to create opportunities for my son from the comfort of my own home.
I get to spend so much time with him doing it.
Adam and I still have our own jobs, too – he works for the family wholesale business and I’ve set up an online print-making company.
But Ralphie’s online account is a great little sideline.
And what could be so bad about doing a job where Ralphie reaps the rewards?
I’m sure that most mums, given the opportunity, would do the same.