"If you can't be happy for us, then move on": Influencer Aundrea Griffin claps back at haters over 26-year-old age gap with husband

Influencer and content creator Aundrea Griffin has shared her perspective on the public scrutiny surrounding her relationship with her husband, Ken, who is 26 years her senior. They first crossed paths back in 2009 at a honky-tonk bar in Texas. Since then, they have created a life together and now raise five kids as a family.

Griffin was 22 when she met Ken. She said their first meeting was polite. Ken, a retired Air Force colonel, did not ask for her number right away. Later, she got in touch with him herself. This led to their first dinner together, which marked the start of their relationship. Griffin’s mother worried about Ken being older, but the two kept dating and built a family.

The couple faced struggles in the beginning when it came to marriage. Griffin shared that Ken, who had already been married once, felt unsure about marrying again at first. However, they tied the knot after Griffin made it clear that she wanted a formal commitment and hoped to grow their family.

"I got really irked by it," she told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview. "Because I'm like, 'I have your child. We're living together.' But he had been married before, and he was just happy where we were and didn't feel like we needed to get married. So that put a damper on our relationship for a little bit. I'm like, 'I don't want to not be married, and I want to have more kids.' And so eventually he got the hint."

Griffin has built a presence on social media, drawing attention because of the age difference between her and her husband. Some people have shown curiosity about their lives, but others have aimed criticism at their way of life. Questions about their relationship or comments about their kids sometimes surface.

Griffin shared that remarks involving their children’s well-being hit the hardest, though she made it clear that Ken handles parenting duties and housework.

"I get a lot of hate from women his age, younger girls," she explained. "They will send me messages, like, 'You don't need to be dating your daddy.'"

Aundrea Griffin fired back at haters, adding,

"We know who we are, and we're happy. And if you can't be happy for us, then move on."

Griffin emphasizes family happiness and addresses criticism

Despite online negativity, Griffin said the couple keeps their family’s happiness at the center of everything. She talked about how Ken takes part in everyday tasks like taking care of the kids and doing chores, which helps keep the household running.

“The best part is just the way he’s with our kids," she said. "Ken also cleans the kitchen, does laundry and leaves their place spotless. He’s not that guy who thinks I’m supposed to do it all. And he’s hilarious. He’s such a good storyteller, and he loves being with us."

“My main question for everyone is, why is there so much hate when the kids are happy, healthy, thriving, and cared for in every way you could imagine?” she asked. “We already have enough hate in this world. If no one’s hurting anyone, what’s the problem?"

Aundrea Griffin stays centered on family life, learning, and social media while getting ready to have their sixth child.