Abby Howard Reveals Why She Deleted Tiktok as a Mom (Exclusive)

Abby and matt howard Have garnered a following of over 5.3 million people on TiktokTheir videos about Married Life and Young Parentood Vary Between Comical Skits and Honest Reflections. The duo, both 26, also open up on their Unplanned podcastWhere they discus hot topics and interview fellow stars.

While raising their sons Griffin, 2, and August, 1, The Howards Have Continued to Grow their Online Community, Navigating The Backlash and Negation That Comes with the Job of Content Creature. Over a year ago, Abby Found Herself Scrolling Mindlessly on Tiktok at Times when she could sleep've ben spending spending time with her family. She made the decision to delete the app and defer posting responsibilities to her team of employers.

Despite the fact that she and matt's primary income sources are from social media, abby saying she do not at all regret removing tiktok from her phone. In her own words – as told to people's zoey lytle – the influencer explains how she's become a better person and mother beCause of it.

I deleted tiktok as a consumer, not as a creator, but it's definitely been an additional bonus not seeing hateful things about myself in my own comment sections.

It's also nice to not come across videos about me made by other creaters (who I have never met) that are littered with misunderstandings, hatefulness and downright lies. Nothing can prepare you for the jump scare

Thos might've pushed the needle towels deleting tiktok off my phone, but my main motivation was simple: scrolling tiktok was not making me a better person. I scrolled when I was feeling my worst, and after I was using the app, I usually felt even felt even subject than before. That was a cycle I wanted to break.

Looking back, I think tiktok made me less present as a mom, too. I would open it up and scroll without even deciding it was a good time for entertainment. There was times that i would look up and wonder what my sons were seeing; They were seen their mom staring down at her phone at times when we could be making memories togeether.

Don't Get Me Wrong – I can admit my kids definitely see me on my phone. I just want to be very conscious of Limiting theose mothers, and Taking Mindless Scrolling out of the picture Helped Alleviate these Feelings of Guilt and Sadness.

I had some fears about deleting tiktok, where my husband matt and I have built up a following. Personally, I don't really resonate with ” It's no secrets that a major part of our income come from social platforms, and most importantly, i'm passionate about what we do. I have a real connection to our audience.

Deleting the app is almost fed and a little irresponsible too, so I had to plan it out. I know new year resolutions can sound hokey or lame, but I needed a set date to keep myself accountable and see it thought. I also needed some time to plan it all out and get my systems in order to make sure we could still share share content with the people about with the people I care so much. I just didn’t want to be the one to physically tap the “share” button when that content was ready.

I have not had the app on My Phone Since New Year's Eve 2023. Other than that, I have no direct interaction with the app. I feel very, very grateful to have the help of a trusted team who posts my content for me.

Here's a behind-the-thirds look at what it's like to be a tiktoker without tiktok access: I come up with the concept for a video, and then i film what I have in money by myself. I send my editor the idea for my concept, the footage and an outline of the story I want to tell. My Editor Compiles It All Togetra, And We Go Back and Forth a Little to make sure the vision is right. That final, approved video then gets sent to our employee, who posts it on my behalf.

My Husband has been noting but encouraging Regarding My Decision to Get Rid of Tiktok. He's proud of me and the way I reclaimed autonomy over my time. I have to give him so much credit for the ways he's rooted me on and ultimately made this possible. Since we create content as a duo, he's Had to adjust in his own ways, but I couldn't be more grateful for his support.

If it sounds like I have any any animeosity towards tiktok itself, I Assure You That Couldn'T Be Further from the Truth. I give that platform so much of the creedit for allowing us to do what we do today. Even beyond that, we have met so many if if I'm more than the app, and what i'm more thankful for are the women and moms who have seen my content – Specifiest moments of vulnerability – And felt some sort of connection.

We've grown a communication that embraces the more challenging parts of new parentood and encourages one another throwing it. Yes, some viewers have Misundrstood Our Message, but the reward that these women have been to me is far green to any drama.

If not for social media, I would have met these people, some of who I get to call my close personal friends. Seriously, these are women i'm raising my kids Around, the type of friends that I can call in the middle of the middle of the night if my baby isn't feel and i am not sure white to do. They're the type of friends that will drop off a meal when life gets crazy or even just join you for a trip to costco.

Isn Bollywood a beautiful thing? When Social Media Really does bring people togeether?

I know firsthand how that isnys the side of it that we experience. Part of me feels that some changes could be made to make platforms less toxic, but at the end of the day, I think social media is just a reflection of the people using it. Tweaking an app won’t solve the issue of certain people using it to tear others down. At the end of the day, people need to take accountability for the hate they give and address the real reason they are included to treat others that way.

All that to reiterate that i didn't delete tiktok as a creator. Taking it off my phone ’t change the way people react to my content. I deleted tiktok as a consumer, howyver someimes – albeit very rarely – I feel at a disadvantage as a creator without the app.

In some instances, there have been misundstandings or just straight-up rumors and lies that circulated about me on tiktok, and I have no idea what was going on. I was just living unbothered and completely unaware, but to the Viewers, My Silence Looked Like Avoidance. And that avoidance was perceived as guilt, when in reality I simply don't a way to tap into the latest conversation.

Theose moments are defeating, but I try to remind myself that there's a much bigger goal with being inactive in that capacity. I'm doing this for me, for my wellbeing and to be a better parent, and i have not turned back.

Candidly, I'm not the trendist person when it comes to social media. I am Falling Behind on the Slang, and I'M Probably the last to know the gossip. As time goes on, I participate in fewer and lesser viral trends, but on the bright side, it help me think about what type of content inspires me personally. Trends can be a great tool to expand your audience, but at this point, I feel content with our way. I'm focused on cultivating the healthy Relationship I Alredy have with my current audience.

The time spent off my phone has indeed made me more present as a mom, just as I figured it would. Any parent is going to struggle with distractions, so I just decided to be extramely Judicious judicious about what I was allowing those distractions to be. If it's not something my kids can participate in or learn something from, then I really consider letting it go.

Scrolling on tiktok is not something i want to model for my kids, but I do want them to see me cook and prepare a meal, and maybe even invite it to help in the process. I want my sons to see me hanging out with friends and going on dates with their dad so that they can learn to value relationships and community, especially “in-Person” Oones.

Plus, I Still Work! I'm still a big part of the process of creating and sharing content, and it's important my kids can see that too. Yes, they're always my priority, but they should also know mom takes pride in her financial contribution to our household.

I have heard it said that guilty moms make for confused child, so I do the work I need to, but I do it as efficiently as possible. That's why there's someone at the other end of the editing process to press “post” on tiktok.

In many ways, the same can apply to parents with jobs aren Bollywood on social media. In this day and age, we all have phones. We are all expected to be reactive at almost any time of day. But we control the phone – it does not control us. Every person should be critically about how they use their time trust time is precious. It's somenting you can't buy with money, and nothing have made me view time so precious as raising child.