Today, if your kids crash in on your Zoom meeting, no one really thinks twice about it. But prior to the pandemic (and many parents working remotely), one video about the trials and tribulations of working from home with your kids in the next room became an instant classic. Of course, we’re talking about the viral BBC Dad video of Robert E. Kelly being interviewed — and the hilarity of his kids barging in while his wife slides into the room to retrieve them. Well, Kelly has given the world an update on his two kids, and you won’t believe how big they’ve gotten.
It started off innocent enough. Kelly, a a professor of political science at South Korea’s Pusan National University, was being interviewed back in 2017 about the political state of the country when his then 4-year-old daughter Marion (sporting some fancy specs) sashayed into the room, much to the chagrin of her dad. Although he tried to shoo her away, the antics weren’t over yet. Her baby brother, James, rolled his 9-month-old self into the room as well.
But what happened next was pure gold. Kelly’s wife, Kim Jung-A, came sliding into the room, grabbed James walker with one hand, and Marion’s arm with the other. Books fell onto the floor as she crouched and pulled both kids out of the room, all the while Kelly tries to keep his composure as he smiles and laughs while apologizing for the interruption. In the last moments of the video, Kelly’s wife, still crouching, reaches up and closes the door behind her.
The video resonated with both working and stay-at-home parents alike for its absurdist relatability. After all, who hasn’t been interrupted by their child at the most inopportune time? Kelly and his family became very popular, which might explain why he recently posted some pics of his very grown-up kids on Twitter.
“Some BBC Dad content since the 6th anniversary of the original video was last Friday.”
“Marion had a singing performance this past weekend, so we got some nice family pictures.”
“Thanks again to all of you who follow me bc of the video. My family and I [are] flattered by your kindness.”
The pictures show a now 10-year-old Marion wearing a glittery pink dress (and no glasses!), while not-so-little-anymore brother James leans in for a hug. The photos have garnered a lot of praise from people (especially parents) who can see themselves in this family. And perhaps it’s because it was such a milestone moment, we’ve somehow become collectively invested in Kelly and his family. To see the kids are so much bigger marks the passage of time not just for Marion and James, but for all of our children.
Some BBC Dad content since the 6th anniversary of the original video was last Friday.
Marion had a singing performance this past weekend, so we got some nice family pictures.
Thanks again to all of you who follow me bc of the video. My family and I flattered by your kindness. pic.twitter.com/1SWVtJME5e
— Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) March 14, 2023
In 2017, no one could have predicted that the world would experience a pandemic that would change our lives in every conceivable way, but in particular, how, when, and where we work. So in a way, without even realizing it, Kelly and his clan were truly at the forefront of what working from home with kids is really like: frustrating and funny, comical and chaotic. It serves as a reminder that at the end of the (work)day, we are all just parents trying to keep calm, even if that means having your kids come into your office to just see you and say hi — while you’re being interviewed live on BBC.
And maybe, just maybe, we wouldn’t have it any other way.