Why do people do this?

[whyohwhy27]

Post pictures of their sick kids in hospital? I've seen this 3 times in the last few weeks and not just the tedious check in at A&E but actual photos of children looking sad and unwell in hospital beds.

One of them had actually had an operation on their face and there were graphic post op pictures of them. Why do people do this? I can understand maybe writing a status if you want to let people know how they are, but photos? I feel so bad for kids whose parents do this for likes when they are sick and vulnerable. I wouldn't want a photo of myself post op all over Facebook so why do it to your kids?

Attention
Sympathy
Geniune post

Who knows

FB is the new Munchousin syndrome Soz spelling

Because they’re massive attention seekers and more than willing to intrude on their child’s privacy in their narcissistic compulsion to get likes. It’s really, really, off.

For attention.

The best part was one of them even wrote a pass agg status afterwards thanking all those who'd shown support and sent well wishes because 'we know who are friends are'. As if you are some kind of heartless bastard for not liking a photo of a clearly unwell child.

It’s the same as people with autistic children who film their meltdowns and post them on TikTok, it’s exploitation and it’s gross

Attention seeking.

My ds nearly died last year, diagnosed with a life long chronic disease was in hospital for a good few weeks. Never once did I think to post a photo, I posted a status to let family know what was going on instead of having to repeat myself a million times when I wasn't up to talking to everyone but that's it.

Really pisses me off seeing photos of sick kids on SM, don't get me started on adults doing it that's even worse.

Ughh hate that too.

It could be that its too hard to explain and they want support.

It could be that they are addicted to likes and will exploit their kids to get it.

You know these people so know which category they will fall under.

I really hope this thread doesn't go the way of many like it where parents who kids have spent their whole lives in hospital get attacked too, like we should hide our kids from the world.

@InformerYaNoSayDaddyMeSnowMeIGoBlameALickyBoom there is a difference between that and a one off illness/operation. Kids shouldn't be hidden but they also deserve privacy at vulnerable times and shouldn't be exploited for likes and attention.

But yes you are correct, all the three of the people who did it are massive over sharers and SM braggers so I suppose there is a type and I shouldn't really be surprised.

As well as all of the above, it is also worth thinking that some people are really lonely and don't have much of a support network in real life. This could be "reaching out" as much as "showing off".

Its a bit like vaguebooking though,

"Why you there hun?"
"PM me hun"

Its a hook to get people in with not much information which might be vaguely interesting.....

..... "Why do people do this?"

They're attention seekers and getting attention is more important than their child's privacy and dignity. Always awful people.

If it was about getting support, they could contact family or friends away from SM.

Even worse is I have "friends" who have had stillborn births or babies who have died and they have posted photos of that on their social media..

It's not the place in my opinion. It doesn't sit with me, it's too private and personal 😔

I have an autistic son. I’m going to be honest, the absolute last thing on my mind when he’s having a meltdown is to film it. It takes absolutely everything I have to stop him hurting himself

I get that people want to raise awareness but filming someone in the midst of extreme emotional vulnerability is toxicity as fuck. Sometimes I’ve struggled to talk about it with other people after the event, never mind share it on social media!

Omg I hate this!! 🤣🤣

I honestly don't understand how people are like this but I see it all the time.

Shouldn't be allowed, data protection etc. Perpetrators should be fined.

And here we go. It's bloody rife on these kinds of threads.

Those are the only photos they have of their kids. The kids they love as much as anyone dies, but they have no other photos.

Why should they hide the photo away for your comfort?

Who the hell has a friend who has been through something so traumatic, wants to show their beautiful baby off to the world, and gets all sniffy thinking they should hide it to protect your feelings.

whyohwhy27 the modern equivalent of gossip over the garden gate!!!

I try not to judge. They’re probably looking for attention but that’s most likely because they’re seeking sympathy, kindness and support at a time of difficulty. Some people get most of their daily interactions via social media so it’s understandable when you look at it like that.

I also have a friend whose DC has a very debilitating chronic disease and they have been fundraising for treatment that’s not available on the NHS. It’s a long-term goal and something that will be needed as their child moves through puberty as their body will be changing. They’ve known for a long time that it will be necessary and created a fundraiser years ago. I assume their regular updates are a) an easy way to provide updates to well meaning friends and family, or to those who have contributed to donations already and b) to keep it at the forefront and encourage people to donate.

Wouldn't it be just family and friends who see this?

• beacause if it’s not put on social media then it didn’t happen
• for attention
• to raise awareness of this shocking accident/illness that could happen to other people’s children?? (Still unnecessary to post an ill child tbh)
• because the poster doesn’t have a support system (still no need to post a vulnerable child IMO)

Ive somehow got onto the hospice/death side of insta reels and actually seeing people dying has made it a bit less scary/less of an unknown, but I’d always assume that the dying adult has consented to that being shown (probably not true!) but dying kids always makes me wonder the ethics of that.

My friends three year old daughter had the most heartbreaking diagnosis after a brain tumour was discovered last March. She may never walk or have the ability to move her her hands. Parents are very careful about what and how they post to protect their daughter's privacy. Their daughter has been in hospital for 7 months. The only recent pictures they have of her are in hospital. They have posted some photos of her in hospital but smiling to go on their go fund me page and Facebook updates (they have posted 8 or 9 times in total). It must be so hard to keep updating people individually so posting a global update on social media for friends and family to see seems perfectly acceptable in my view. They are raising money so they can adapt their house to make It accessible before she can return home. God only knows what they must be feeling, and how hard this time must have been for them. Heartbreaking.

It's an absolutely massive invasion of privacy by the very person/people who are supposed to be protecting you.

And you can bet your life those who invade their children's privacy at such vulnerable moments, would absolutely hit the ROOF if they found someone else had done the same thing to them.

I'm not talking about children who are chronically ill or in hospital for lengthy periods. That's different. Im talking about those whose kids have to go to A&E suddenly or have an operation and the parents see it as a social media opportunity.

Also don't see it the same as parents posting stillborn photos. I personally wouldn't do that because to me those photos would be precious and private but I can understand why they would want to share the only photos they have of their baby and show them off like any other parent or a new child would. I don't think that's for attention or sympathy at all, it's different.