US3 min(s) read
The parents of the ‘American Family Road Trip’, a social media account with over 800,000 followers, have faced backlash for reports about how they raise their children.
Britney and JD Lott, the content creators behind the account that records their family life while traveling the length and breadth of the country, have frequently faced controversy for their unconventional approach to parenting.
Housing their eight children in their RV, where they are also homeschooled, they’ve never been too far off the Child Protection Services (CPS) radar after a 2024 visit regarding their youngest child’s health and well-being.
After the couple announced they are expecting a ninth child, JD came into a surge of criticism after he was videoed in a “scary” altercation with one of his young sons.
Once again, the couple’s parenting has come into question, with the now-viral clip causing concern among viewers.
“So tragic for these children,” one user commented.
Britney recently shared an Instagram story of JD holding a snail, before warning his children not to touch it: “Don’t touch his eyeballs. That scares him.”
Just moments later, he can then be seen shoving one of the boys away using his head, causing the child to fall back holding his head.
Understandably, the video prompted backlash, with users reacting angrily.
“The kid knew not to show that he was hurt and just to leave the situation. That’s so sad,” one commented.
Another wrote: “I just know that child walked off to cry and it breaks my heart.”
A third added: “The mask is slipping — The anger all over his face and the clearly clenched jaw… those poor kids.”
“I hope your son’s forehead is okay,” wrote another user.
Another added: “As a former CPS worker, the fact that none of the other children reacted to it at all is a huge red flag.”
YouTuber Hannah Alonzo, who previously shared a deep dive into the family’s content and called them out for “monetizing” their kids, said of the clip: "The kid is just standing there, and the dad, unprovoked, smashes his head into his.
"You can tell that the two boys in the frame — they are gauging their father’s temperament at this moment. They’re wondering if there’s more to come."
She also shared screenshots of Britney's response to viewers' questions about the clip, in which she reportedly wrote: "He didn’t headbutt him. He moved him away, yes, with his head, but our son was told not to touch the animal’s eyes, and he did it again, and my husband’s hands were full."
Alonzo pointed out that JD could have used his right hand, which was holding up his left arm, to move the child away gently, while other viewers said that the child that he nudged with his head was not the one who'd touched the snail.
In another screenshot, Britney allegedly wrote that the boy "never cried” and wasn’t “bruised, bleeding, or hurt,” and that internet users threatening to report the family “over a few-second video is an enormous leap.”
