“You don’t take a photograph. You ask quietly to borrow it.”
-Unknown
If you’ve read any of my blog posts or follow me on social media, you already know I’m a mom to two children. My kids are the light of my life. While extremely loving in one instance, they can test my patience at the next moment. Either way, having them has been one of the greatest additions to my life.
In this open digital age of living your life online, it only seems natural to share pictures of your life – where you work, what you eat for dinner, and of course your family. It’s common to scroll through your social media feed and see family and friends post pictures of their family. Hell, some people have separate accounts for their kids or pets. Or, you may even read articles about child YouTube stars that have their own channel with millions of followers.
Even though it’s fairly common, my husband and I decided not to post pictures of our kids online. While this may seem weird to some, it is the right decision for our family. Here are the reasons why we came to this decision.
It’s About Privacy
So, if everyone is doing it, I should join in, right? WRONG! A long time age my husband and I decided we wouldn’t post our kid’s pictures online. We made this decision for one simple reason. We don’t post pictures of our kids online to respect their privacy.
We’ve seen where pictures of kids are posted online and shared. Then, the next thing you know, the picture has turned into a meme. If we fast forward 10-20 years, we don’t want an innocent picture that was turned into a meme to be the digital footprint for our child.
It’s About Control
Another reason we do not post their pictures online is that once it’s online, you no longer have control. You don’t know who is looking at your child. You may post a cute picture that you share with close friends, but somehow the picture gets leaked to a friend of a friend of a friend. Our family and friends are aware of our wishes, and they respect our decision.
Let’s be honest, not everyone has the best intentions when it comes to kids. Sex trafficking and digital kidnapping are real. As parents, it is our job to protect our kids whether it is physical or emotional harm.
It’s About Being Careful
My husband and I enjoy social media, and we will continue to have our accounts. It all comes down to being careful. When possible, we censor.
- We sign disclosures for school and activities to not post their pictures online.
- We ask family and friends not to post pictures where our children’s faces are visible.
- If we post pictures of the kids online, it’s the back of their head, or an emoji is placed on their faces.
From time to time, we talk about revising our decision. Our son watches YouTube and has expressed interest in starting his own channel. For now, we are still maintaining our decision until he and his sister are a little older. Once they are older, we’ll have conversations around privacy, consent, and being careful with the internet. For now, we’ll continue to share their pictures as creatively as we can!
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