#trending: Singapore mum-influencer receives backlash for vlogging daughter’s tearful O-Level results reveal

SINGAPORE — A Singapore mum-influencer has set some tongues wagging when she vlogged and posted a video of her daughter’s emotional response to her GCE O-Level results. 

Social media users accused her of “exploiting” her daughter for internet fame while others questioned if it was appropriate to post a video of one's child in their vulnerable moments. 

Influencer and entrepreneur Sarah Cheng-De Winne, 35, who also goes by the moniker Sarah X. Miracle, posts content about her family life on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube and dubs her family as the “MiracleFamilie” on social media.

On Friday (Jan 13), she posted a “point of view” video of her daughter Ines collecting her O-Level results. 

In the video, the jittery teen exclaimed “so bad, it’s so bad guys”, upon seeing her results while her mother stands beside her vlogging both their reactions.

“Listen to me, I know you’re disappointed and I was disappointed too,” said the mother of three in the aftermath of the O-Levels results reveal.

“But the point is that we need to set aside time for reflection… we cannot change the outcome but we can reflect on the process and better improve our processes next time.” 

Her daughter tearfully replies “okay” from the corner of the video. 

Ms Cheng-De Winne then addresses the camera: “Guys, you are more than your results, all right.”

She closes off with a plug for her TikTok account that some social media users took umbrage at: “Stay tuned for what happens after O-Levels.” 

The video received more than 800,000 views and 52,000 likes on TikTok within three days.

In the days after that video was posted, numerous reaction videos and parody videos were published under the trending TikTok search phrase "Miracle Family O Level Result", with many criticising Ms Cheng-De Winne for seemingly using her daughter to create content. 

“This really makes me think that this mum gave birth to her daughter just for her to make videos and use her for entertainment and clout,” said one commenter on her video. 

In a reaction video, Singapore influencer Liel Nicole said she felt that the mother’s words of encouragement to her daughter were insincere.

“The comforting starts becoming disingenuous when half the time it’s being filmed and secondly, whilst comforting me… (she is) occasionally turning over and addressing the camera,” Ms Liel said. 

In reference to Ms Cheng-De Winne asking viewers to “stay tuned”, Ms Liel said that was when it was clear that the motivation behind filming the video was for “content”. 

She added that while the level of consent to film given to Ms Cheng-De Winne from her daughter was unclear, she would be unhappy if she were in her daughter’s shoes and would not want her mum to post a video of her in such a vulnerable state. 

Similarly, content creator ‘jiaxuanwithnof’ said that she would be enraged if her mother had filmed her while she was crying and upset.

“Shouldn’t your daughter’s feelings be the priority rather than the idea of making content?" she said.

DAUGHTER SPEAKS OUT AGAINST BACKLASH

In response to the internet backlash, Ms Cheng-De Winne has posted a video of her daughter “speaking for herself”.

“I think at that point in time I was already not crying,” Ines said. “And honestly you guys stitching the video doesn’t make me feel any better, it makes me feel worse.”

“She’s not using me as crying bait,” the teen continued. 

“My conclusion is that my life is not yours, please mind your own business, thank you.”

Ms Cheng-De Winne also responded to comments calling her out for saying that she was "disappointed" in her daughter's results.

"My gosh guys, I just realised the source of the misunderstanding. When people thought that I said I was disappointed, I actually cut out a part that said I was disappointed because of what I got for my (O-Level) results."

Online users were quick to rebut that Ms Cheng-De Winne had received a relatively good score of six points for her L1R5 for O-Levels, which she revealed in a previous video. While dishing out study tips, she had said that she got exactly six A1s for her O-Levels and that she was taken by surprise as she had expected to score more A1s.

However, some online users were in support of Ms Cheng-De Winne’s words of encouragement to her daughter. 

Singapore content creator "pauriahcarey" commented: “She’s so fortunate to have a mother who doesn’t apply undue pressure on her and loves her unconditionally.”

Another TikTok user said: “Do not worry that you didn't do well... actually you won the best results for having such supportive caring parents... all the best.”

IS IT ETHICAL TO FILM ONE'S CHILDREN FOR THE INTERNET?

As a content creator featuring mainly her family life, Ms Cheng-De Winne's children are familiar faces on her social media accounts. Online users pointed out that she had similarly drawn flak online last year, when she posted a video of her son crying.

In the video, Ms Cheng-De Winne's son cried incessantly after being bullied while she consoled him, putting the whole interaction online as a parenting moment for others to learn from.

While some found inspiration in her words, others were uncomfortable that she "made content out of it to put out on the internet".

The discussion on whether it was acceptable for content creators to film their children for content led some TikTokers to reference Naomi Neo.

The 27-year-old content creator, who also features her son on social media often, was slammed when she pranked him by shutting him in a room with a "ghost" filter from TikTok, while the toddler proceeded to have a meltdown.