'For Everyone Asking, I'm His Mom' — Football Mom's Photoshoot With Her Teen Son Has People Doing A Double Take
Brocreative | Shutterstock One boy mom has lips flapping after she shared pictures from a photoshoot she did with her football-player son. Apparently, the boy is about to graduate from high school, and everyone on his team took special photos with their moms to mark the occasion. People were more than a little confused when they saw the actual pictures, though.
Boy moms are known for being an interesting bunch. It’s not uncommon to see a post from a self-described boy mom in which she talks about being his first love or says she can’t believe he’ll fall in love with another woman one day. Some people think the sentiments are sweet, while others find them a little unnerving.
Social media had a lot to say after a mom posted photos posing with her son like she’s his girlfriend.
Kristy Gayton shared the pictures from the photoshoot with her son on the football field in an Instagram post that is turning heads. In one photo, her son Roman is facing away from the camera while carrying her over his shoulder. In another, Roman has his helmet on, and he’s touching foreheads with his mom. A final shot shows them walking away from the camera, huddled close, while she wears his varsity jacket.
The whole thing gives a vibe that screams “dating,” or perhaps even "engaged." It doesn’t help that Gayton looks pretty young for her age. She included a sentimental caption with the photos in which she said, “I’m so proud I could burst. I’ll cheer for you forever — no matter the field, no matter the season.”
A lot of people took issue with the photos in the comments, and screenshots of the post even made their way to X, where a woman named Susan clarified, “Mother and son, btw.” The scrutiny got so intense that Gayton felt the need to post a follow-up comment on Instagram. “For everyone asking — I’m his mom,” she confirmed. “Senior-year memories before he heads off to college. The whole football program did this shoot.”
Most people took issue with the fact that the mom shared the photos so publicly.
“Football mom here!” one commenter said. “My son had his senior year shoot in 2023, and you can BET it looked NOTHING like this. I feel bad for his future wife!” Another Instagram user said, “That’s so cringey, Kristy. You’re 50. Why are you trying to be the center of attention for your son’s senior photos?”
But, of course, there was also a group of people who saw nothing wrong with the pictures. “I’m … a boy mom,” one said. “I love the photos. Beautiful, healthy relationship.” Another added, “Oh my gosh, I adore these! What a sweet idea!”
Boy mom-style relationships can be problematic, but Gayton didn’t claim to see her son that way.
To be completely fair, Gayton did not make any typical boy mom-esque claims in which she said she was in love with her son or didn’t want him to get married in the future. She just shared some photos that maybe crossed the line a little in some people’s eyes, but were cute to others. Even if you don’t agree with the photos, that doesn’t mean she should be completely vilified for them.
Ron Lach | Pexels
However, Professor Sylvia L. Mikucki-Enyart, PhD, pointed out, “The #boymom content I see on social media romanticizes a familial relationship and puts sons in an inappropriate role. Whether it’s referring to sons as ‘boyfriends’ or talking about how a son’s growing up is like being broken up with, these aspects of #boymom culture put sons in the role of romantic partner rather than child.”
The pictures might not be to everyone's taste, but such is life. And when it comes to social media, everyone has an opinion and won't be shy about sharing it. Gayton, unfortunately, opened herself up to those opinions by publicly sharing those images. Perhaps that was the intended result, after all, boy mom content certainly gets a whole lot of attention, both positive and negative.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
