How Myka Stauffer Used Dreft Laundry Detergent to 'Bond' with Her Adopted Son — and Then Got Paid for It

• Vox Media Studios highlighted some of Myka Stauffer’s most controversial family vlogs, including the use of her children in sponsored videos
• In one ad for Deft laundry detergent, the YouTuber mentioned adopting her son Huxley from China at the age of 2 1/2. She and her husband, James, later filed for termination of the adoption and returned Huxley, who had been diagnosed with autism
• Vox Media three-part documentaries News about our family addressed Myka’s many sponsored videos and opportunities where she detailed her YouTube-based income

Former YouTuber Myka Stauffer is under fire again for using the international adoption of her son Huxley to promote one of her sponsors.

Three-part documentary series by Vox Media Studios News about our family — which premiered at the 2024 Tribeca Festival and airs on HBO and Max on January 15 — revisits some of the influencer’s most controversial moments online, including her Dreft laundry detergent commercial featuring her adopted child with special needs.

Episode 2 of the documentary features a clip from Myka’s now-deleted video released before she and her husband, James Stauffer, tried to rehome Huxley, who now goes by another name given to him by his new family. (Following the termination of their adoption in 2020, Myka deleted all of her YouTube videos from the platform.)

Promotional photo of the documentary series ‘News about our family’.

Vox Media Studios

YouTuber Myka Stauffer said her child ‘can’t be brought back’ before the viral adoption scandal

“To bond with Huxley, I decided to use Dreft Baby Detergent. Dreft Baby Detergent smells just like a newborn,” said the Ohio mom after filming her playing with her toddler in a video titled “5 Things I Did.” Don’t EXPECT our ADOPTION in China!”

She continued: “So when I’m cuddling a three-year-old boy, I still feel like I’m cuddling that brand new baby and I get that baby smell that I never got from my son.”

The Stauffers, as well as Huxley’s new family, did not respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

Documentary participants criticized the sponsored video as an example of Myka profiting off her child, which she later determined was not suitable for her family. Adoption counselor and adoptee Cameron Lee Small shares his perspective in episode 2 titled “Damn Good Mom.”

Myka Stauffer with her son.

Myka Stauffer/Instagram

YouTuber Myka Stauffer reveals the termination of the adoption 2 years after she welcomed her son home from China

“The idea of ​​adoption placed in a small story like that, selling laundry detergent, seems to objectify the adoptee,” Small said during his interview for the series based on New York Magazine feature. “I’m not saying it’s anyone’s intention to objectify these kids. It could come across that way.”

Before Myka and James adopted Huxley, the vlogger was open about her income from YouTube. In one video featured on the docu-series, she detailed her cash flow on camera for her fans and followers to hear, sharing how her videos became more profitable as she grew her family.

“At first, my channel had very few views, and then I got pregnant and my subscribers went way up,” she said in another now-deleted video from 2016. “After that, we started getting paid like $500, and we were like ‘Dang’ ! This is kind of nice.’ ”

Myka and James Stauffer.

Myka Stauffer/Instagram

Myka and James Stauffer made ‘difficult decision’ to give son ‘best treatment’: lawyers

She advised her followers interested in an online career to stick to the slow build process.

“If you want to start YouTube or if you want to be a stay-at-home mom and think, ‘I’d love to create content,’ remember that it’s very slow at first and it takes a long time to get there,” she said. “But if you can get your subscribers and increase your views in a short period of time, then you’ll start making money at a really healthy rate.”

In episode 1, News about our family highlights Myka’s many sponsorship deals outside of Dreft. Before adopting Huxley, she was already a partner with big companies like Fabletics, Dannon Yogurt. Fit and Fresh, Endust and teeth whitening brand White with Style, among others.

After the Stauffers revealed their decision to seek termination of the adoption, their attorneys spoke to PEOPLE at the time about their ultimate hope to “provide Huxley with the best possible treatment and care.”

“We are familiar with this case and given the facts we have, we feel this was the best decision for Huxley,” Myka and James’ attorneys, Thomas Taneff and Taylor Sayers, told PEOPLE in an exclusive statement released in May 2020. we know our clients to be a loving family and to be very caring parents who would do anything for their children.”

“Since his adoption, they have consulted with numerous experts in the health and education arenas to provide Huxley with the best possible treatment and care,” continued Taneff and Sayers. “Over time, a team of medical professionals advised our clients that it would be best for Huxley to be placed with another family.”

The vlogger’s legal team noted that the Stauffers followed the advice of medical professionals, which, the attorneys clarified, “did NOT include any consideration for placement in the foster care system, but instead handpicked a family equipped to address Huxley’s needs.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education