Not a week goes by where we don’t get some question related to social media and kids. It’s definitely something on most parents’ minds these days, and a debate that can get, well, pretty heated. And we get it, no one wants to be judged about their parenting choices.
And so, with the recent article in The New York Times’ Well family blog sharing research that shows kids care about what their parents are posting about them, we decided to discuss this tricky topic on our Spawned with Kristen and Liz podcast.
We discuss our own experiences as parents who are also bloggers and website publishers, and our own thoughts about what we share and what we don’t, keeping in mind that we’re learning as we go, too. Plus, we chat about alternate ways for sharing photos and information beyond the popular social networks.
You can listen to the podcast right now on Soundcloud or on iTunes (make sure to subscribe!), or through your favorite podcast app.
And here, 5 questions to consider before you share photos of your kids online:
1. Will I ever regret sharing this? Think about whether putting the photo up on social media will come back to bite you later on.
2. Am I shaming them in some way or getting laughs at my kids’ expense? Kids will be embarrassed by pretty much everything we do as parents, of course. But if you feel as though by posting the photo you’re hoping to get laughs at their expense, and it outweighs any other benefits, maybe hold off pressing “share.”
3. Have I set photo posting guidelines for other caregivers in my life? You might not be the only ones sharing photos of your kids. Be sure to talk to the caregivers (that includes babysitters, grandparents, friends and relatives) about your social media sharing policy.
4. Is this the best medium for sharing this? Many parents are heading to SnapChat to share their photos, not just because they don’t want to clog their feeds with tons of kid photos, but also because the photos disappear after a short amount of time. While the photos can still be captured in a screenshot (you will be notified if someone does this), perhaps using another, more private social channel is a better alternative to something like a public Facebook post for oh…say, a “look, he went on the potty for the first time!” photo. Then you can save your other channels for those pics that maybe don’t warrant a more limited audience of close friends and family.
5. Am I setting a good example for my kids in how I make social media decisions? Our kids are looking at our own social media usage as they model their own, so if we’re making choices without thinking hard about what and how we’re sharing (and that includes things like retouching photos and the battle of the “likes,” too) kids are apt to follow our lead.
There’s no right answer to any of these, of course. We don’t stand in judgement! They’re just great questions to ask yourself so you can help figure out what will work best for you and your family, now and in the future. Hey, we’re all learning to navigate this new digital world together.
Cool Picks of the Week
Kristen: Sip by S’well – cool new water bottles that work for cold and hot beverages hitting Target on April 1 (no April fools!).
Liz: Julian & Co jewelry – perfect for Mother’s day, hint hint.
*****
For our entire chat about oversharenting, listen to Spawned with Kristen and Liz right here on SoundCloud, or over on iTunes where you can even subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. And please, share Spawned with a friend!
Have ideas to add, want to suggest a guest? We’d love to hear them in comments! Or you can catch us on Twitter (use the hashtag #spawnedshow) or email us with your comments or show ideas at spawned@mompicksprod.wpengine.com.
