9021-oh snap! Tori Spelling clapped back at Instagram users who accused her of using her kids for money from advertisers after she posted her family’s Christmas portrait and tagged two brand names.
“Having a ‘snow’ ball putting the finishing touches on our amazing @kingofchristmas tree in our chic and cozy holiday family pjs by @santandabel xoxo,” Spelling, 46, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, December 19.
In the Instagram photos, Spelling, husband Dean McDermott, and their five kids — Liam, 12, Stella, 11, Hattie, 8, Finn, 7, and Beau, 2 — wear matching PJs and toss around fabric snowballs as they pose next to an artificial Christmas tree.
But commenters suspected the BH90210 alum was getting paid for the post. “I wonder if your kids get tired of being directed and produced for these paid promotions,” one wrote.
Spelling responded: “The answer is no bc we weren’t paid for anything in this picture. This is our tree and these are their jammies. Is that ok with you?”
Another commenter wrote, “Is there anything this family will not do or wear for money! Wow, these poor kids.”
The actress replied: “Just FYI we were not paid for anything in this picture. No exchange of $ at all. We are just complete fans of these products.”
And a third user commented, “It is sad how you use your children to promote yourself and make money. Do what you gotta do but make the kids make their decisions when they are old enough to.”
Spelling wrote back: “Didn’t make any $ from this picture and not promoting anything aside from sharing our actual lives. This is us. Please make informed judgements [sic].”
In September, the Spelling It Like It Is author exclusively told Us Weekly that it’s tough to balance her career with her family life. “I live in a state of mom guilt, a perpetual state,” she said. “It should be tattooed across my forehead. It’s really bad.”
She credited 53-year-old McDermott, her husband of 13 years, for pitching in with the parenting. “This morning, I was just realizing that a lot of people don’t have this,” she explained at the time. “He’s up, he’s waking the girls up, I’m waking the boys up and we’re just doing it together. I’m like, ‘I’m really lucky to have this.’”
And earlier this month, Spelling opened up to Us about the challenges of a large family. “With five [children], you definitely have to move as a family unit,” she said. “There are times [when] Liam, the oldest, is like, ‘Mom, I wish it was just me and you sometimes.’ I’m like, ‘Do you like having brothers and sisters?’ and he’s like, ‘Sometimes.’ I know its hard, but I always tell them [they] will look back and be like, ‘Oh, my God, that was such a great experience.’”
