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AIBU?

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Original poster

Do you post pictures of your children on social media?

252 replies

Leefygreen · 09/04/2019 19:28

I use social media quite a lot, I've been posting pictures of DC since I started to use facebook and then instagram so when my oldest was around 4 and there's pictures of my other children from birth to now. It's nice to have them there to look back on but I do wonder sometimes whether I should, I find some of my own childhood pictures a bit embarrasing. My DC aren't too bothered by it, youngest is too young understand, middle one couldn't care less, my oldest is a teenager now so she cares a little more and I ask her permission before posting anything of her. Most people I know also post pictures of their DC regularly, I only know a couple who don't at all

OP posts:
NewAccount270219 · 09/04/2019 20:20

Aside from one newborn photo we've never put up a photo of DS's face. There are a few photos of me cuddling him or wearing the sling, but it could be any child in them.

Watching friends, the issue is it seems so innocuous and harmless when they're babies, but if it's a daily part of your life to put up social media photos of them then it seems like it's hard to know when to stop. I have a friend who posts photos every few days of her 9 year old, and also lots of 'funny things he's said', and I do wonder if he's soon going to find it very embarrassing.

Sunandseaside · 09/04/2019 20:23

I do but don’t have many friends on my Facebook or Instagram. I like to post things and I like seeing pictures of my friends kids days out.

Although I do have friends who have public Instagram accounts (I don’t understand why you’d want to do that?) and will post pictures of their kids in bed/ in the bath etc. which I think is too intrusive.

Lana1234 · 09/04/2019 20:24

We don’t at all with 18mo DS and never have. I have quite a lot of people on Facebook (through political stuff) and I just don’t share anything about my person life on there really. Absolutely no judgment towards those who do though.

sunshinelollipopsrainbows · 09/04/2019 20:27

I used to a LOT, now I post the odd one of them on.

Ragwort · 09/04/2019 20:29

No, it I don’t use SM apart from Mumsnet (is this SM
? Confused).
I very rarely take photos anyway, never on my phone, occasionally on my iPad and if anyone wanted to see a photo of my DS (not really very likely) I would email or - shock horror- arrange to get a print and post it. Grin.

InDubiousBattle · 09/04/2019 20:46

No, I don't put any pictures of my dc on sm and I never will. For all of the reasons Worra has already said.

jumperoo123 · 09/04/2019 20:47

Yes quite often actually, DS is 8 month and I post at least once a week, I also post almost daily on Instagram!
Not everyone has email and it's just easier to post them on Facebook for people to see Smile

badg3r · 09/04/2019 20:51

I posted one of each when they were born, that was all. There are a few from birthday parties etc posted by other parents. I prefer to let the DC decide later on what they share publicly. I have posted thousands for our family WhatsApp chats though!!

lotusbell · 09/04/2019 20:55

Nowhere near as much as I used to, but that's more because I dont use Facebook or Instagram neat as much as I did when he was a baby onwards. Hes now 12, hayes having his photo taken so rarely get a good pic of him.anyway.

LucyAutumn · 09/04/2019 21:00

Not at all.

redexpat · 09/04/2019 21:05

Yes occasionally.

Jebuschristchocolatebar · 09/04/2019 21:07

I deleted Facebook a few years ago. Don’t share my kids on social media of any kind. When they are old enough to have their own accounts they can do what they want. I share photos with my friends and family by email and WhatsApp.

WorraLiberty · 09/04/2019 21:10

Not everyone has email and it's just easier to post them on Facebook for people to see

You can't open a Facebook account without an email address, can you?

FenellaMaxwell · 09/04/2019 21:15

No. I don’t post anything about my DS at all on instagram and have only put a handful of photos of him on my Facebook, which is locked down tighter than the Crown Jewels, and nothing embarrassing or intimate. He’s 2, and I think there are maybe 6 photos of him?

Oysterbabe · 09/04/2019 21:18

I do but not loads, maybe about 3 a year, and not embarrassing ones. My Facebook is quite locked down so only friends will see them.

AC12vsOCG · 09/04/2019 21:19

Never. They are primary age so I don't feel they could understand what they are consenting to, and also I will feel a hypocrite trying to encourage them to be sensible about Internet use etc when they're teenagers if I've always stuck photos of them on the Internet

Cottonwood · 09/04/2019 21:19

I put the odd one up, they are all teens now and they're ok with it. I get the privacy thing for the future but a pic of them in the back garden with the dog amongst billions of photos out there in the cosmos probably isn't going to be hugely interesting to anyone bar family

jumperoo123 · 09/04/2019 21:21

@WorraLiberty yes you can open one with a phone number as far as I'm aware.

But my parents can use Facebook but struggle with email so easier for them, I do email them to my partners dad as he doesn't have Facebook.

Thebookswereherfriends · 09/04/2019 21:22

Yes, but nothing embarrassing and not loads. Just nice days out or a few holiday pics. I don’t have that many friends and family on Facebook and my settings are pretty locked down.

ScatteredMama82 · 09/04/2019 21:23

I do yes, but my privacy setting are maximum and I do it to show family spread all over the world what the kids are up to etc. As a family we all do it.

YeOldeTrout · 09/04/2019 21:24

Yes I post pics of DC on FBk & so does almost everyone I know (post pics of their kids).

I have one cousin who posts nothing since their baby was born. They didn't even announce the birth... I had to msg aunt to find out what happened. I find it very weird. Esp. after so much on FBk about her pregnancy. The mom+baby get tagged in posts by others, so sometimes I see a pic of them.

WorraLiberty · 09/04/2019 21:24

Ahh right I didn't realise you can just use a phone number.

Mind you, I still maintain that anyone who actually wanted to see these photos, would make sure they had an email address to simply click on (which is simpler that using a FB account anyway).

PodgeBod · 09/04/2019 21:25

Yes, I post a picture of them every 2-3 months because I don't use fb much but I do have relatives who post pictures of them more often then that.

Collectingcpd · 09/04/2019 21:26

No. We don’t pictures of ourselves either....and we’ve caused a lot of upset by asking people who have posted our children online to take the pictures down.

KateTTC123 · 09/04/2019 21:26

I have a private group for Ds. He was born very prematurly so it was a good way to keep people informed while in hospital. Now he's 2 and I still use it, it's lovely to look back on and all members of the group are family or friends