My Thoughts on Online Sharing as a Mom
Before I had my daughter I shared a post titled,
where I talked about my limits when sharing online.
However after becoming a mom this topic got a little more serious because I am not just sharing my life, but now I'm making the decision to share my child's life online. So where do I draw the line?
This is a topic I started thinking about when I became
with Mia. I had met moms who would share every single milestone and breakdown of their child's life and those who you would hardly think they were mothers because they never shared any pictures or information of their children online.
This, I realized isn't a simple answer. Most of us, as mothers, just want to protect and care for our children as best as possible. And answering the question of when to share and when no to share about our children is a question we should all think about.
Now as you know, I have a whole blog centered around the topic of motherhood, so I clearly have decided that sharing about my life and my daughter's life is okay. However, I do have my limits and today I'll be sharing my thoughts on this topic with you.
*Disclaimer: I understand each mom has their own beliefs and that we all make our own decisions when it comes to parenthood. My hope is just to bring up conversation about this topic, understanding we all do things differently.
I have decided to portray my daughter in a positive and beautiful light.
No, my child is not perfect, but hopefully if you look at my blog and
you will see a beautiful, happy child. Now, I have not done this to deceive anyone into thinking she is perfect. I have done this to make sure that if she ever goes back and looks at the photos I have taken of her she will see the happy times. The times she will want to remember and not be embarrassed about the photos I posted. I do not want to share a photo of my child having a tantrum because, though she is a child and they do happen, I wouldn't want anyone to post a photo of
me
when I'm having a bad day and I believe she deserves the same treatment.
I want to keep some of her life private.
This is a thin line to walk through and I am making these decisions as I go. When she was born I was sharing a lot of her life through my social media accounts, and though I'm glad I did because now I can look back and see how much she's grown and changed, I have also decided that I'd rather share more of my life as a mom, than hers as a child. Because though I am a mom I also have other interests besides my child. So now I am trying to share more of
my
life through my social media rather than every detail of hers.
I will not share when she doesn't want me to share.
Obviously she is still a baby and cannot tell me when she doesn't want to be photographed. However it is my hope that when she does have the words to tell me I will respect her wishes. This is a decision I have also made with my husband. We have made it clear that though I am comfortable to share my life online, his life and most of our relationship remains private. And though at times it is not my favorite, I respect his point of view, because I know he is my #1 supporter behind the scenes. It is my hope that this will also carry through with my relationship with my daughter. And that she will be comfortable to let me know when sharing is okay and when it's not.
Not every moment has to be recorded.
This is a hard one to remember, because as she grows I wish I could keep her little for the rest of her life, and photos are my way to remember how little she used to be. But there are moments that I can keep in my memories instead of trying to capture them. Lately I've noticed that some her favorite moments are spent when we are together without the distraction of a camera or a cell phone. And so it should be. Because these are moments when she has my full attention. And though I might miss capturing that cute thing she did I know that is more important for me respond instead of trying to take a photo of it. Some moments should be kept just for us, and that is okay.
Most personal information should remain personal.
Before I had Mia I was somewhat careful about sharing phone numbers, addresses and specific dates and times. After having her I became extra strict with myself to make sure that I never shared this kind of information through my social media. Her safety is my first priority and though I cannot control everything that happens around us, I am responsible for making sure that our personal information remains private.
What are some of your beliefs on sharing online when it comes to motherhood?