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Tiania Haneline and Scarlett Gray are a mother-daughter duo from Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They’re famous on TikTok and YouTube for their daily affirmation videos. However, netizens are accusing Tiania, the mother, of exploiting her child and using her to get views online.
The recent controversy began when a video posted on Scarlett and Tiania’s TikTok account featured the mother seemingly yelling at her daughter. This was when netizens started questioning Haneline’s parenting methods.
Tiania and Scarlett are a mother-daughter duo who make videos about positive affirmations
The 41-year-old mother started a daily ritual with her 5-year-old daughter Scarlett, who recites positive affirmations about herself while Haneline does her hair and repeats them.
In one of their videos, Haneline spoke about Scarlett's dad, Travin D. Smith, with whom she separated due to undisclosed reasons. However, the duo co-parent Scarlett together. The 41-year-old momfluencer was also previously married to Michael Walden, with whom she shares two sons, Walker Walden and Reice Walden.
Tiania Haneline's estimated net worth is around $500,000, as per a report by Celeb$Fortune. The prime source of her income is social media content, along with brand endeavors and sponsorships.
Tiania and Scarlett's daily affirmation videos aim to spread positivity. The duo has gained over 6 million followers on TikTok, while their YouTube channel “Scarlett and Tiania” has around 207K subscribers. They started their channel in June 2020.
Apart from their wholesome clips online, they also share videos on their TikTok and Instagram accounts where they are seen dancing and having fun.
Haneline is white while Scarlett is of mixed race. The 41-year-old previously shared her concerns regarding how the world would deem her daughter a black woman, rather than a woman of mixed race. So, in Haneline’s opinion, instilling self-confidence and self-appreciation in Scarlett is necessary.
She told Good Morning America:
“I was like why don’t I do it while I’m doing her hair and then the whole TikTok craze happened during the pandemic so then I was like maybe this can help other people.”
Haneline spoke about how she always tells her daughter that she loves her curls and her brown skin and thinks she’s beautiful. She said she wants to make sure that her daughter knows that she doesn’t have to straighten her hair or dye it blonde to appear pretty.
Their videos, oozing with simplicity, cuteness, and positivity quickly went viral.
Tiania shared that the videos have helped boost Scarlett’s confidence as well. She said:
“She goes from ‘I love my curls to like, really like …telling herself I LOVE MY CURLS …I love my brown skin.”
However, what surprised the mother was her daughter's appreciation of other people. She said that for instance, when they go out for a meal, Scarlett compliments others, telling them she loves their hair or some other feature.
Tiania said that’s what their videos are all about - helping people become comfortable in their own skin and find confidence within themselves.
Netizens question Tiania's intentions and allege that she exploits her daughter for financial gain
The original video that created the controversy seems to have been deleted from the duo's official TikTok account. However, one user, @kidcuryyyy reshared the clip online.
In the clip, Haneline seemingly forces Scarlett to appear in front of the camera and record the video. She yells:
“Get in your seat, now, let’s go, come on!”
While Scarlett does show her face on camera, she then slides down to hide from viewers, almost crying and pleading with her mother:
“I don’t wanna be in there.”
After this, Haneline asks her to say bye to everyone, and Scarlett apologizes while still crying. Though Haneline tells her “it’s okay,” and stops recording, her expression and tone did not sit right with viewers.
The video upset many netizens, who began a conversation about how parents often use their kids to provide content on social media and make money from it. Often, they fail to take their children’s consent into account.
Netizens expressed their anger and disappointment at Haneline after the video surfaced online. Viewers believed that her behavior took away from the channel's aim of spreading positivity, and changed its essence to toxicity. They blamed her for using Scarlett for clout, fame, and money.
Later, Tiania shared another TikTok video to clear the air. She attempted to explain how her daughter is a little disobedient at times, and so she needs to yell at her. Haneline said that she doesn’t ‘spank’ her daughter, so she ‘yells’ at her instead.
Haneline posted the video on January 11, 2023. While some people were still not convinced, many others wrote that she was just doing her job as a parent. They said that raising a child can get frustrating at times, and told Tiania that she was doing a good job.
A few others also consoled Haneline and assured her that Scarlett loves her.
