In December 2024, Maye Musk, the 77-year-old mother of billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, sparked widespread controversy during an appearance on Fox & Friends when she suggested that financially struggling families could afford to have children by forgoing luxuries like dinner outings and movie nights. Her comments, which echoed her own experience raising Elon and his siblings as a single mother, were intended to encourage higher birth rates but instead ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media platforms like X and Reddit. Critics labeled her advice as tone-deaf and out of touch, arguing that it oversimplifies the economic realities of parenting in 2025, while supporters defended her as a voice of resilience and practicality. The controversy has reignited debates about wealth, privilege, and the feasibility of Musk’s pronatalist stance in a world grappling with rising costs and inequality.
The Controversial Comments
During her Fox & Friends appearance, Maye Musk addressed concerns about declining birth rates, a cause championed by her son Elon, who has repeatedly warned of a “population collapse.” She argued that financial constraints should not deter people from having children, stating, “You don’t have to go to the movies, you don’t have to go out for dinner. Just spend time with the most wonderful gift, which is your children.” She framed her advice as a reflection of her own sacrifices as a single mother in South Africa and later Canada, where she worked multiple jobs to support Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca after her divorce from Errol Musk in 1979. “Poverty makes you work really hard,” she told Forbes in 2018, describing how she juggled modeling, teaching, and nutrition consulting to make ends meet.
Maye’s remarks were meant to inspire, drawing on her journey from financial hardship to raising one of the world’s richest men, whose net worth Forbes estimated at $424.7 billion in May 2025. She suggested that prioritizing family time over discretionary spending could pave the way for success, citing her parenting philosophy of fostering independence and hard work. In a 2019 CNBC interview, she explained, “I brought my children up like my parents brought us up when we were young: to be independent, kind, honest, considerate, polite and to work hard and do good things.” However, her 2024 comments were met with immediate backlash, with critics arguing that they trivialize the systemic barriers faced by low-income families.
Public Reaction and Social Media Firestorm
The backlash was swift and vocal, particularly on platforms like X and Reddit. A post in the r/AnythingGoesNews subreddit garnered 122 votes and 99 comments, with users slamming Maye’s advice as elitist and unrealistic. One commenter wrote, “Telling poor people to skip dinner to have kids is like telling them to starve for a dream that’s statistically impossible.” Others pointed out that the cost of raising a child in the U.S. has skyrocketed, with a 2025 estimate from Yahoo Finance pegging the average cost at $297,000 per child through age 18, excluding college expenses. This figure, coupled with stagnant wages and rising inflation, made Maye’s suggestion seem detached from reality.
On X, users accused Maye of perpetuating a “bootstrap myth” that ignores structural inequalities. One post read, “Maye Musk thinks skipping movies will make you a billionaire like Elon. Tell that to the millions working two jobs just to afford rent.” Others criticized her for implying that her parenting alone produced Elon’s success, noting that his father’s wealth and access to opportunities in South Africa played a significant role. Some users even referenced false rumors debunked by Snopes, which claimed Maye had suggested poor people work in “her son’s factories” to afford children, highlighting the intensity of misinformation surrounding the controversy.
Supporters, however, argued that Maye’s comments were taken out of context. On X, pronatalist advocates echoed her sentiment, emphasizing the long-term value of family over material comforts. One user wrote, “Maye Musk is right—kids are a gift, and sacrifices are worth it. She raised a genius on a tight budget.” Others praised her resilience as a single mother, pointing to her five jobs—modeling, teaching, research, and private practice—as evidence of her credibility. These defenders aligned with Elon Musk’s pronatalist views, which include a $10 million donation to the University of Texas for population studies and public statements urging people to have “three or more kids” to ensure civilization’s survival.
The Economic Reality of Parenting in 2025
Critics of Maye’s advice argue that it fails to account for the economic realities of modern parenting. The cost of childcare, healthcare, and education has surged, with Yahoo Finance noting that childcare alone can consume 20–30% of a low-income family’s budget. Unlike Maye’s era, where she could rely on modeling gigs and a supportive community in South Africa, today’s parents face a gig economy with precarious benefits and housing costs that outpace income growth. In 2025, the median U.S. rent for a two-bedroom apartment exceeds $1,500 per month, while the federal minimum wage remains $7.25, unchanged since 2009.
Moreover, Maye’s narrative overlooks systemic factors like access to education and networks, which were pivotal in Elon’s rise. Born into a wealthy South African family, Elon benefited from his father’s resources and later attended the University of Pennsylvania, a privilege unavailable to most. Critics argue that her advice romanticizes poverty, ignoring how structural barriers—such as lack of affordable healthcare or childcare—make parenting a daunting prospect for many. On Reddit, one user summarized the sentiment: “Maye Musk’s story is inspiring, but it’s not a blueprint. Most people don’t raise a billionaire by skipping movie nights.”
Maye Musk’s Personal Journey and Pronatalism
Maye’s comments reflect her own experience as a single mother who faced significant financial challenges after her divorce from Errol Musk, whom Elon has described as “a terrible human being.” At 31, she raised three children while working multiple jobs, eventually moving to Canada to provide better opportunities. Her story of resilience resonates with some, particularly those who admire her ability to balance modeling, nutrition consulting, and parenting. However, her suggestion that others emulate her sacrifices has been criticized as dismissive of the broader economic context.
The controversy also ties into the Musk family’s broader pronatalist agenda. Elon has been vocal about his concerns over declining birth rates, arguing on X that “the future of civilization depends on it.” His personal life reflects this, with 14 acknowledged children across four women, including a recent paternity case with conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair. Maye’s comments align with this worldview, framing children as a universal good that outweighs financial constraints. However, demographers cited by the United Nations project global population growth for decades, challenging the urgency of their stance and prompting accusations that pronatalism serves elite interests, such as ensuring a future workforce for companies like Tesla and SpaceX.
Critical Perspective: Privilege and Public Perception
The backlash against Maye Musk highlights deeper tensions about privilege and public discourse. Her comments, while rooted in personal experience, assume a level of agency and opportunity that many lack. The suggestion to “skip dinner and movies” ignores the reality that many low-income families already forgo such luxuries, yet still struggle to afford basic necessities. Critics on X argue that her advice perpetuates a narrative of individual responsibility that downplays systemic issues like wage stagnation and housing crises.
Furthermore, the Musk family’s wealth and influence amplify the scrutiny. Elon’s $424.7 billion fortune and his controversial public persona—marked by political involvement and polarizing statements—cast a shadow over Maye’s remarks. Some see her advice as an extension of Elon’s pronatalist campaign, which critics argue prioritizes demographic goals over social equity. The false rumor about Maye referencing “her son’s factories” underscores how quickly misinformation can escalate, fueled by public distrust of the Musks’ wealth and motives.
Supporters, however, view the backlash as unfair, arguing that Maye’s comments were meant to inspire rather than prescribe. Her defenders point to her hardships as a single mother and her success in raising three entrepreneurial children as evidence of her credibility. Yet, even they acknowledge that her advice lacks nuance, failing to address how race, class, and access shape parenting outcomes.
Conclusion
Maye Musk’s suggestion that poor families skip dinner and movie nights to afford children has sparked a heated debate about parenting, privilege, and economic realities. While her intention was to draw on her own sacrifices as a single mother, the backlash reflects a broader frustration with advice that seems disconnected from the challenges of 2025. The controversy underscores the divide between the Musk family’s pronatalist vision and the lived experiences of those grappling with rising costs and systemic barriers. As debates over population and inequality continue, Maye’s remarks serve as a flashpoint, highlighting the complexities of applying personal success stories to universal challenges.
