To think people blathering on on FB about wishing their 1 year old a happy birthday represents all that's wrong with the world?!

[SweetElizaRose]

I know, I know, hide it and don't use FB.

There seems to have been a tidal wave of people on my FB wall wishing their children who are much too young to have FB, or in fact be able to read, a happy birthday. Said parent then goes on for several hundred words about how awesome their child is and how awesome being a parent is and oh god it's all so amazing. Some people must spend their lives being constantly amazed by very very little. It's just showboating isn't it? No wonder these kids grow up so entitled and thinking they're god's gift.
I'm going to delete them.
Along with people who keep sharing memories of their children from a couple of years ago and writing 'can't believe how small they were.' Well yes, that's what happens, they get bigger.
And people who post those 'share if you have an amazing son / daughter who is your world'
Just for once I'd like to read one that says 'share if your kids are pretty average.'

Potentially I am very grumpy from having no sleep...

You should have said 'Symptomatic of the decline of original thinking in western society', OP.

I wish my children who are too young for FB happy birthday on FB.

I like it when others wish them a nice day. My friends always seem happy enough to comment on it. I figure my FB friends actually like me though.

You just sound really unhappy and bitter.

I also like sharing certain photos again from 'my memories'. It's nice to look back, and again friends and family seem to like it enough to comment and even if they don't? Well, I like posting it and if they find it annoying they know where the unfriend button is.

My children are not entitled and they do not think they are gods gift.

You sound delightful.

I think you need to have a FB cull. You clearly are friends with people who you don't care all that much about. So get rid of them.

I'm always happy to see updates about the children and families of my friends. If I am not interested then that means they are not my friend in real life and therefore not my friend on Facebook either. It's really not nice to think that someone is posting pictures of their kids for their friends and family to enjoy and you're sitting there with all these nasty thoughts and judging them. I'm sure they'd raher you just unfriended if that's how you feel.

I'm with you on the sharing old posts, they generally weren't that interesting the first time but three years later they are just cluttering up my timeline thingie along with all the shared "you'll never guess what happened next" shit.

But acknowledgeding your dc's birthday?Well I don't have an issue with that. These are milestones and it's nice to recognise them, however trivial they seem to people with older dc. It also helps me remember to send a text wishing them a happy birthday!

OP, don't think it's all that's wrong with the world but I too am a grumpy cow who gets fed up with the gushing posts of some friends!

It just all feels fake. Is it not all fake?

I can't stand people who ghost on Facebook- lurking and judging but not contributing. It's weird

When my children turned 1 I actually did have a very hard few weeks and cried a huge number of times in embarrassing situations (not, in fairness, posted about on FB) but I had a traumatic birth and thought I had just accepted it for what it was but their first birthday brought it all back and unlocked all the emotion I hadn't dealt with. DH had the same

I don't think the babies are fake? Are the birthday's fake? I doubt it, but I don't know your FB friends

I just can't help thinking that the world was better before all this 'look how wonderful me and my life are' stuff. It just feeds into people's unhappiness. And it's largely fake.

Feeds into people's unhappiness? Well, that is their problem isn't it? If someone reads my posts when I am happy or post about a nice time I have had and it feeds into their unhappiness then that is on them, not me.

I am not fake on FB. I took about the good stuff, the not so good stuff. I don't make out my life is anything other than it really is.

I choose my friends wisely. None of my friends are fake or make out like they have this amazing life of FB.

I love this stuff. I like seeing the lives of friends and family. If they post something excessive I just love on but mostly it's lovely.

A lot of things I see on Facebook just aren't 'my cup of tea' but so long as people aren't posting racist, sexist and general hatred type stuff etc then I really see no harm in parents celebrating their children's birthdays or achievements in life.

The masses have always got excited over mundane stuff because, let's be honest now, we all mostly do live relatively mundane lives don't we? Very few are trail blazing history makers. Though I do draw a line at those who post being delighted their partner has bought them a Yankee Candle, that's a step too far.

Some people bang on too much about their wonderful, perfect, fantastic lives and yes, it does smack of them protesting too much so you're not wrong there. Just unfollow them so their posts don't come up on your newsfeed.

What's 'fake'? The love behind the message? I doubt it.

It is heavily curated, but that's just the nature of the medium.

It's not compulsory OP. Just leave if you don't like it.

You sound exhausted. Gushing irritates me slightly when I'm well rested but properly annoys me when I'm not.

If I hadn't always hated Facebook then i might have posted some twaddle about my PFB's first birthday because he was the only child ever born, dontcha know! Now I have four, I can just about manage to stumble around making a cake and wrapping a present (or if tired, potentially baking a present and wrapping a cake!).

Fucking Time hop argh! Agree we don't need to see 50 photos a week that we already saw last year.

None of my friends has ever posted a gushing long essay or reams of photos on their kids' b-day, maybe one photo and a short message. Maybe you just need better friends ;) . And don't add "acquaintances" - that's part of your problems right there.

Anyway whilst I'm on the subject and venting I'm also going to add people who feel blessed and share photos of all their birthday presents artfully arranged around a fireplace.
I just don't get it?

I post a quick Happy Birthday message. No gushing.

If I share a Time Hop photo it is rarely. Certainly not daily, not even weekly.

My friends are the same.

FB is what you make it.

In my country it is common, and has been common for a long time, to wish your young offspring (or more commonly your grandchild) a happy birthday in the newspaper. The birthday notices, with photographs, sit next to the obituaries and the wedding announcements. All part of life. I have managed to bear with this for nearly 50 years without busting an artery. I strongly suspect there is less fakeness about the birthday notices than about the obituaries. And you know what- the people who are told to rest in peace can't hear you either.

i deleted someone on facebook once because trhey continuously posted photos of their dogs.
then i had a change of heart, I got my own dog, and I do genuinely like her photos

Never seen people do that OP.

Your problem is the FB friends you have. Delete the ones who annoy you or come off FB. It's not compulsory for you to go on it. Why look at something that annoys you? That's what I don't understand. I guess some people like to be annoyed at others and have a good moan instead of doing something about it.

I totally agree with you OP however, YABU. I ignore it.

YABU. Actually I've noticed when I do put up pictures of my children I get tons of likes but when I share something (political message, funny joke) I get very few. I think therefore my friends do like seeing pictures of my kids but not that interested in my jokes?!

I know where the OP is coming from. I do acknowledge my kids' birthdays on Facebook and have been guilty of posting something along the lines of "don't know where the years have gone" when my eldest turned 13.

But I don't accompany it with a 200 picture slideshow and loathe those "nominate the best mum" or "share if you think x, y or z" posts. They are just for the hard of thinking and people who need constant confirmation from others that they're a good mum - even from people they don't know. Usually followed by - "awwww, thx hun".

Doesn't offend me as much as people who share Britain First crap though - have unfriended people for that.