A grandmother has sparked online outrage after hijacking her daughter’s gender reveal celebration, leaving guests stunned and millions of viewers calling her behaviour selfish and attention-seeking.
The viral video, filmed in the United States, shows a young couple surrounded by friends and family in their backyard, ready to discover the gender of their baby. The expectant mother, 23, and her 46-year-old husband each held confetti cannons, smiling for the cameras as loved ones gathered around to capture the big moment.
@gianna.wulff I was too happy at the fact it was a girl tho #genderrevealfail#genderreveal
Just as they were about to pop the cannons, the mother-to-be’s mum stepped forward, climbing onto a small raised area to stand above the crowd. When her daughter questioned what she was doing, the grandmother brushed it off and urged them to continue with the reveal.
When the cannons were finally fired, pink confetti exploded from the woman’s cannon while her husband’s burst with blue. Confusion rippled through the crowd as the couple looked at one another, unsure what to make of the conflicting colours.
Then came the real twist. The grandmother stepped in holding her own balloon, which she popped to release a cloud of pink confetti, triumphantly declaring that the couple were having a girl.
The look on the mum-to-be’s face quickly shifted from joy to disbelief as it became clear her mother had staged her own reveal, stealing the spotlight from the couple’s special moment.
The video, posted with the caption “POV: your mum had to make your gender reveal about her,” has since attracted more than 27 million views.
Comments on social media were overwhelmingly critical of the grandmother’s actions, describing her as “narcissistic” and “controlling.”
One viewer wrote, “She couldn’t stand not being the centre of attention. This was supposed to be their moment.” Another added, “If a couple wants a twist, they’ll plan it themselves. This was pure overstepping.”
A few users attempted to defend the grandmother, suggesting she may have intended it as a harmless surprise, but most commenters disagreed. “She literally gave herself a balloon to pop. That’s not a surprise, that’s taking over,” one user replied.
The controversy didn’t end there. The couple later posted another video revealing that the grandmother had given their toddler an unsolicited “first haircut” without permission. The clip showed the little girl with noticeably uneven hair, and the caption claimed the grandmother had been “trying to get the bangs out of her face.”
Unfortunately, the result was a choppy mullet, and another round of criticism from viewers.
“The fact she actually did this is insane,” one commenter said. “She clearly doesn’t respect boundaries.” Others advised the young parents to set firm limits, with some even suggesting they “go no contact.”
The videos have reignited debate about generational boundaries and respect within families. While gender reveals have become increasingly elaborate in recent years, many argue that the focus should remain on the expectant parents and their joy, not on anyone else’s need for attention.
For this mum-to-be, what was meant to be a treasured memory has instead become a cautionary tale about how easily a special occasion can be overshadowed, especially when one family member can’t resist stealing the show.
