High school sweethearts turned social media influencers Matt and Abby Howard are, once again, causing an uproar amongst their followers.
The “Unplanned Podcast” hosts and parents of two sons under two — Griffin, 23 months, and August, 10 months — recently revealed that they are “boycotting” Father’s Day this year since it lands around Matt’s 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day.
During the May 29 episode of their podcast, which “dives into genuine conversations surrounding relationships and family,” the Phoenix, Arizona-based couple said they’ll be celebrating the holiday in September so Matt, 25, can solely enjoy his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day.
“Last year, [Father’s Day] was June 18, which is Matt’s 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day, so he had Father’s Day and his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day on the same day and I will say I did kind of combine the holidays,” Abby, 25, said, acknowledging she “failed” her husband.
“It’s ok, though. You were pregnant. You were uncomfortable,” he chimed in, still adding that the day “kind of was a bummer” because they just got back from their 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦moon and he had to grill dinner for everyone.
Abby said she was “disappointed” in herself for not doing more for her husband — further admitting she simply got him a “cake from Dairy Queen (DQ)” and “we had just our family over.”
A clip from the podcast has garnered 9.4 million views and thousands of comments on TikTok, with users sharing their reactions to the pair’s Father’s Day plans.
“I’m failing to see how she failed, it seems like you had a good celebration, what else was he expecting? 😅,” one follower wrote, with another noting, “Imagine if his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day was on Christmas Day😂😂😂😂😂.”
Scroll for more of Matt and Abby’s controversial moments:
‘Traditional Marriage Roles’
In a now-deleted 2022 video, Matt decided to “surprise” Abby by cleaning the house and taking care of their new𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 son so she could go to the gym. He explained that they had a “traditional household,” so Abby cleaned and took care of the 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦. Viewers were shocked when he stated, “Don’t be fooled by me picking up my house because I’m not typically the one that does it. And don’t be fooled by me taking care of my son because most of the time, my wife does that, too.”
Postpartum Differences
During a podcast episode in January 2024, Matt and Abby discuss whether it “feels different down there” after 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦. “Yeah, actually,” he insisted, as she grimaced. “It doesn’t go back to exactly the way it was before,” he added.
‘Still Not Enough’
In February 2024, Matt, an aspiring singer, shared “the saddest song I’ve ever written”: “Still Not Enough.” With lyrics like, “I’m wondering if I’m depressed / I can’t be right it don’t make sense / I’m no doctor but that’s not like me / I put a smile on my face and play the part to hide the pain cuz there’s a couple kids in the backseat,” followers assumed he was claiming his family, and more notably Abby, was “not enough” for him.
“I love my wife and kids more than anything, and my sadness has nothing to do with them,” he wrote in the caption for the video.
‘Divorce Is Not an Option’
Making Homemade Formula
Carrying Baby on Shoulders
Canceling Father’s Day
The couple decided to “boycott” Father’s Day 2024 because they believe it’s unfair that Matt has to celebrate both the holiday and his 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day at the same time. Abby said they “talked about it and we think it’s best if Matt celebrates Father’s Day in September.” They plan to make a “big hoopla about it” since “nothing goes on in September.”
Leaving Toddlers Alone on Cruise Ship
“So we ended up taking them for 5 nights and it became apparent that they weren’t enjoying it and therefore we weren’t either,” Abby wrote in a since-expired Instagram Story. “So, THEN we switched our dinner time to AFTER their bedtime and FaceTIMED the monitors while we ate.”
Although Abby assured that the arrangement “worked out muchhhh better for everyone,” they were met with a flurry of social media outrage.
A source later told Us that the families on the cruise had “rooms were right next door to each other and they were taking turns being there,” adding that the kids “were never alone and the use of the 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 monitors was an extra precaution.”