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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder why people put photos of ill children on Facebook

30 replies

youcanbeanything · 15/12/2015 18:14

Why do people take pictures of queasy sleepy children and put them on Facebook?

I don't understand ...

OP posts:

ElsaAintAsColdAsMe · 15/12/2015 18:16

As with everything on facebook - for attention.

deleted fb after countless people tagging themselves in hospital with ill children then posting the photos

yorkshapudding · 15/12/2015 18:16

For attention.

MumOfGorgeousness · 15/12/2015 18:16

I don't know why people do this.

Sirzy · 15/12/2015 18:23

I put a photo of Ds first smiling photo on Facebook - he was on oxygen having just come off life support at the time.

I have put photos of him on in hospital to show caring friends and family he is on the mend.

It's easy to hide/block/delete if you don't like what people are posting

yorkshapudding · 15/12/2015 18:26

Sirzy, I could be wrong but my understanding was that the OP is talking about minor childhood ailments (kids lounging on the sofa with a cold for example) rather than anything serious or long term. Glad you're little one is on the mend

Original poster

youcanbeanything · 15/12/2015 18:31

Yes, that is what I meant :)

Glad your little boy is ok now Sirzy. My friend did something similar when her little girl (well, she was about 15 at the time actually but you know!) came out of intensive care - that WAS a relief! I meant the child on sofa looking unhappy and the caption 'poorly girl/boy'.

OP posts:

yorkshapudding · 15/12/2015 18:44

I think there's a world of difference between pictures of a child who is in hospital long term (in that case the parent is just documenting thier child's daily life same as anyone else) or a child recovering from a serious illness intended to reassure concerned loved ones and a picture of a child who has a sickness bug laying on the sofa with their head in a bucket.

thelouise · 15/12/2015 18:45

"I have put photos of him on in hospital to show caring friends and family he is on the mend."

Understandable when you've been through a trauma with your child. It's less understandable to post a photo of little Jimmy sitting on the sofa with a cold though, especially if you're doing it for attention.

Alicewasinwonderland · 15/12/2015 18:51

If you only have close friends and family on Facebook, it could just mean "look what I have to deal with". I am not sure how attention seeking that is.

If people only put positive things, awards, photos of presents or holidays, they are accused of bragging.

I never understand the hatred or annoyance towards some FB posts. I don't find everything interesting, but I just ignore the photos irrelevant to me, what's the big deal?

toffeeboffin · 15/12/2015 19:06

Elsa has it.

Attention.

Even if it's about kids, its all me, me, me really.

katienana · 15/12/2015 19:09

Oh it's totally different when a child has a serious or chronic illness. I have a relative who puts pics of her kids on every cold they get. They seem to miss a lot of school! I don't get it.

Sirzy · 15/12/2015 19:12

Isn't attention the reason anything is posted on Facebook though? Is it a bad thing that someone who has a poorly child wants a bit of sympathy sometimes?

With Ds spending so much of his life ill it's different for me so I don't know, and maybe because I only have people I like on Facebook it's different but although some people may post more of that stuff than I would I cant bring myself to judge too much. I would only have a problem is they were ignoring the child's suffering not helping them to take a photo instead.

Freezingwinter · 15/12/2015 19:14

Umm maybe for attention, maybe the same way that other people post they're shopping/seeing Santa/wedding planning. I don't mind it really, it's so easy to unfollow someone but stay their 'friend' if you don't wish to offend them.

JenniferYellowHat1980 · 15/12/2015 19:15

I did this early this year as my boss was snippy about me having to have a day off with DD, who'd been admitted with suspected pneumonia in the early hours. Proof.

LyndaNotLinda · 15/12/2015 19:17

I really don't understand people's facebook whines. FB is like talking on the phone to your mates surely? So you say 'oh crap, Dave's ill and I'm having to take the day off work to look after him' and equally 'yay, we're going on holiday to the Caribbean and I'm so excited!'.

If you don't like particular individuals, unfriend them. But don't bitch endlessly about them behind their backs for sharing their triumphs and tribulations ...

WickedWax · 15/12/2015 19:19

Attention seeking. That's all.

I'd go absolutely batshit if DH posted a photo of me, unwell, on FB, as would most ppl.

I don't know why people think it's ok because it's a child.

itsmeohlord · 15/12/2015 19:28

I wonder why most of what is on FB is on there.

sianihedgehog · 15/12/2015 19:29

Because they are sharing their day with their friends, presumably? I don't get it, why WOULDN'T you?

Potterwolfie · 15/12/2015 19:38

I can maybe understand someone writing a post about a sick child, to share what's happening with friends and family.

However, consciously taking, then choosing to post a photo of an ill kid is just plain weird.

abbsismyhero · 15/12/2015 19:40

mine is usually to prove to my ex they actually are ill because if i don't he accuses me of preventing him from seeing his children ive offered him to collect them and they can vomit on his mom's carpet but he is yet to take me up on this

ive also did this to teen dd when she was ill and rolled herself into a burrito on the floor by the radiator all you could see was a bit of hair and some feet

Tamponlady · 15/12/2015 19:40

What I really hate is people putting pictures of really sick children ,,cancer ,tumours ect it's not just upsetting for others but I know my son wouldn't want pictures of himself on line when he's at his most vunrable pictures he didn't agree to that will be floating around forever

Tamponlady · 15/12/2015 19:42

I don't post pictures of my children I'll and certainly not life threating situations out of it or in a vunrable state

And I don't post pictures of my kids naked

KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes · 15/12/2015 19:44

I did this early this year as my boss was snippy about me having to have a day off with DD, who'd been admitted with suspected pneumonia in the early hours. Proof.

I did the same when I had semi-emergency surgery on my hand.

thelouise · 15/12/2015 19:56

I still think it's weird to take a photo of a snotty child. It's totally normal to take a photo of a momentous occasion or a happy moment. We've always done it (since cameras were invented) and by extension, people post on FB. Since when did people take photos of their lurgy infected little ones?

madmotherof2 · 15/12/2015 19:57

I really don't like this too!

This morning one of my facebook friends posted that they were just waiting for an ambulance as their child was in pain thankfully no photo added but how can you possibly be thinking of posting on FB at that point?!

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