Sharenting and Caring
/“Sharenting: a term used to describe the overuse of social media by parents to share content based on their children. It is related to the concept of too much information”
When I started this blog I knew I would include Teddy in it here and there. He’s my kid for goodness sake! And I think he’s cute and funny, and he inspires me, so it only made sense.
That being said, in this digital era I have experienced how hard it can be to balance what is cute and what is too much to post when it comes to our kids. Yes, I want all of my friends to see how dang adorable Teddy is. But is it fair to him all the time?
Many times I’ve seen parent’s Instagram and Facebook posts about their kids and thought, “that’s just too much.” Too much detailed information, too much privacy invasion, just too much about their kids blasted for the world to see. I don't want to be that parent.
I feel like I have a decent grasp on what to post and what not to post but every once in a while I hesitate before hitting the "Post" button.
Recently I came across an article by Kaiser Permanente with tips on what to think of before you post and another in The Atlantic discussing sharenting and how it could be affecting our kids.
If you ever struggled when you are about to push “Post” on that picture of your kid, you may be having second thoughts on how you are sharenting. Here are some tips from Kaiser Permanete on what to consider before you post about your kiddos online:
- Before you share online, be sure you’d be just as comfortable sharing the same information in public at the park or bookstore because in essence you are!
- Never post pictures of children of any age in any state of undress. Such pictures can be copied and re-posted on sites used by pedophiles. (see The Atlantic article for a disturbing example)
- Do not post pictures of your school-aged kids without their permission. Asking first shows them respect and models for them the “digital manners” you would expect they will have when online.
- Before posting about your children, ask yourself how they might feel in the future about what you are sharing. Think high school and even job interviews in the future (eek!).
- Do not share information about your child’s location — doing so puts your young one (and family and friends) at risk.
- Know the privacy settings on the platforms you use, but also understand that even posts shared with closed groups can reach a wider audience than intended.
These guidelines are always good to remember. As Adrienne Lafrance wrote in her article for The Atlantic, "The reality is that the data shared by parents could be revealed by Google search algorithms for years to come.” Eek! Think of what they could find on our kids years from now - that could make for an interesting job interview.
I hope that I have done a good job sharing information on our lives without crossing the line of sharing too much and invading Teddy’s privacy. As he gets older, I hope to still share information on his life but with his input and consent. Then it will be just sharing. :-)
Post with love and care! xo
