A mother has confronted backlash after revealing that she packs her toddler a meal to eat out at a restaurant.

Karlie Smith, a 21-year-old mother from Ohio, went viral on TikTok this week when she shared how she will get her two-year-old son to eat at a restaurant. “Call me cheap, call me whatever, but if we’re going out to a restaurant, I’m packing my kid a meal,” she started the TikTok, which has since been considered greater than 55k instances.

Smith, who goes by @unbreakablemomma on the app, shared with her followers that her household will get collectively for dinner on Friday nights, however this time was completely different as a result of they have been going to a restaurant.

“My son is not getting food out,” she mentioned, earlier than explaining why she prefers to pack her son a meal forward of time. “For one, you want me to pay $6.99 for chicken tenders and fries that my son is going to throw half of it on the floor, you’re crazy. Also, whatever I pack is probably gonna be healthier than what the restaurant has anyways.”

The mother then confirmed the meal she had packed for her toddler, which included a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, cut-up banana, gentle cheddar cheese cubes, and a chocolate Lara bar saved in a plastic container.

“Also, when we get to a restaurant, my child is not waiting for anyone to take his order – he wants to eat now,” she mentioned. “I can just hand him this and let him go to town. Also, my child is not opinionated. He does not care what he eats; he just wants to eat.”

However, Smith added that if her son needs restaurant meals, she’ll order it. “Also, I usually get him chocolate milk because that’s his little takeout treat,” she mentioned. “And after he finishes his food, he’s usually eating off my plate.”

While Karlie Smith’s parenting hack may fit for her household, many individuals within the feedback part have been outraged that she would deprive her son of restaurant meals. Some TikTok customers went as far as to declare it was a kind of “abuse” to pack her toddler a pre-made meal.

“My brother-in-law’s step-father used to do this to him as abuse,” learn the highest remark below Smith’s video. In response, the mother of two wrote again: “No one said I’d do this forever, I even said if he wanted something off the menu I would give it to him and share my meal, but he’s happy.”

Others chimed in, “Stop throwing the word abuse around,” and, “At that age they don’t know the difference between restaurant food or a home-cooked meal. It’s far from abuse.”

Some individuals additionally claimed that consuming out at a restaurant needs to be a special day for everybody, together with their younger ones. “I just bring a snack for the wait but I think going out to eat is special for everyone, not just the adults,” mentioned one TikToker.

“In my house everyone eats out or no one eats out! My parents had the same rules!” one other wrote.

When one father or mother shared that they tried pre-packing their daughter’s meal as soon as however they felt “so much mom guilt” for “leaving her out,” Smith replied: “I get it! Sometimes I take my son out for special mommy and me meals!”

Despite the unfavourable feedback, many individuals nonetheless praised Smith’s parenting tip and informed her to block out the haters. “This is actually genius. My son is so picky and I always end up paying for something he doesn’t eat,” mentioned one TikToker.

“Love this! My kid is autistic and doesn’t want to wait for the order to come,” one other particular person mentioned. “Go momma!!”

“I thought everyone did this!!” mentioned another person. “Literally common sense to bring toddlers snacks while eating out!!? It’s like a parent hack.”

However, it was Karlie Smith who had the final snort when she poked enjoyable at some of the backlash in a follow-up video. “What people think I do because I said I pack a meal for my two-year-old at restaurants,” she wrote over a separate TikTok video, which noticed Smith act out outlandish situations, reminiscent of feeding her youngster a can of inexperienced beans and a uncooked onion.

“You clap back at those haters, girlfriend,” mentioned one fan.

The Independent has contacted Karlie Smith for remark.