Thoughts on this?

[Pixelated]

I've seen a couple of posts on Facebook from people I know lamenting their kids' behaviour. One included the phrase "she's sure she knows everything there is to know" (for what it's worth, the tone of the post sounded sad rather than disparaging) and the other was a rambling discourse on what sounds like an escalating situation with a teenager (one result was the parents destroyed something belonging to the kid, as a penalty).

I have no kids. If I complain online about my cats, at least my cats can't read my posts (that I know of, anyway ... )

I can see confiding in close friends or relatives via email, but I'm wondering about posting this stuff on an open Facebook page where the whole world can see it.

I have no kids, so can't ask them what they think. What's your thoughts on this?

PLEASE KEEP IT CIVIL. I'm not trying to drag this into Fratching territory; I'm genuinely interested in knowing what other people (parents and non-parents) think about this ... you know, like this embarrassing baby photos weren't bad enough ...

[Food Lady]

I don't have kids but I didn't like knowing when my mom talked to her friends about me. I now understand why she did it, but at the time it was better for me not to know.

[mjr]

The interesting thing about this is I believe it has a good amount to do with background and upbringing.

Some people think it's perfectly OK to "air the dirty laundry", others find that concept appalling.

The "motivations" are wide-ranging, too. As are the opinions of those "motivations".

So it's really hard to say. Some kids might be OK with it, others might not.

Like the story I read recently about the dad who basically was "mimicking" his daughter's selfies (complete with clothing and matching pose).

The daughter probably thinks it's embarrassing. The dad probably thinks he's providing a teachable moment (i.e. think about the selfies you post), others may agree/disagree with that method of parenting.

Or the one from a few years back where the dad shot his daughter's laptop when he found a rant on FB, posted by her, about her parents.

Some people thought it was reasonable, others were appalled and thought it crossed a line.

I think it really is wide-ranging, as far as reason and rationale.

[KellyHabersham]

Without getting into Fratching territory, I will say this - I often had issues with my sister choosing to post on her Facebook page about my daughter's personal/behavioral problems, and then getting upset with me for objecting to it.

[mjr]

Without getting into Fratching territory, I will say this - I often had issues with my sister choosing to post on her Facebook page about my daughter's personal/behavioral problems, and then getting upset with me for objecting to it.

I think another thought by some could be "What do you think social media is for? It's to be social!"

[paperfiend]

I am very careful with what I write about my (6-year-old) kiddo online, even in private Facebook groups.

Part of this is my belief that his story should be his to tell, and part of it is that situations always need context which is hard to provide online, and part of it is generally not trusting privacy online.

Not to say that I don't discuss my parenting challenges with others, but it's generally offline or in direct person-to-person forms (texts, emails).

[April]

Ive been known to vent about my teenagers on line. Nothing super personal, nothing on going, but a small vent here and there. I usually adjust my settings so they, and any friends who may be on my list are blocked from seeing it. I've asked them to do the same if they choose to have a small vent about me or their dad. Venting can help sometimes

[AnaKhouri]

The only things I post on social media are the cute, funny things. I might ask a behavioral question anonymously on a parenting board, but when it comes to friends and family I actually know, they only see the cute stuff (except the grandparents of course). Pretty sure all my friends and relatives do the same.

[kibbles]

I think airing dirty laundry for everyone to see on Facebook and destroying property as a punishment is a very low class, trashy way of behaving. I agree with April about having small vents and having the privacy settings on that particular post..it helps with the frustration, but you aren't leaping in the gutter with the others.

[Pixelated]

I did not think it was a good idea to put this stuff on a billboard, as it were. And trashing the kid's belongings ... um, yeah, I did not think that was a good idea.

Anyway, interesting variety of opinions here. Thanks, all!

[Aria]

I don't know if it's true or not but I was told that in the ruins of Pompeii graffiti was found saying "Save us from the deeds of our younglings!"

Basically, not much has changed, ever.

[notalwaysright]

I don't have kids, but I would mimic some people I've known who have chosen not to share any details of their child online. They don't hide that they have a kid, they just don't post pictures to anyone other than very specific people. It's the more extreme choice, but it's just how I feel, and the folks who have chosen this did it for what I consider to be good reasons. Of course, I have no Facebook or any other social media, so I'm probably not the greatest to answer! I like how Paperfiend put it, about it being the child's story to tell. I feel like the people who post every single detail of their life and their kid's life are quite needy and sad.

[Blue Ginger]

I'm a bit old school in that I don't put anything in writing that could come back and bite me in the bum. Or used as evidence.

A good rule of thumb should be if you wouldn't want of photo of you in the same situation posted, then don't post the photo. That should include poop-explosions with babies/toddlers or drunk people, general drunken photos and any photo sessions that starts with 'hold my beer/drink of choice'.

Naked babies/small kids should never be posted for obvious reasons.

If you wouldn't want your parents pulling out of similar photo of yourself in front of friends, then don't make it public when it comes to your own or other people's kids.

I have an aunty that used to overshare EVERYTHING about her kids. But luckily this was pre-facebook days so she had to physically call or see people to spread all the info. Considering what this aunty has put the rest of us cousins through, we are all glad that we grew up without social media. She has been on a low info diet before I even knew that it had a name and I still refuse to add her to my Facebook. (mostly because she is a bigoted twat waffle who has been at me since I was 15 to get a boyfriend and believes every woman really wants kids. )

[Cia]

I post pics of my cats, I would never post pics of my kid (even though she's an adult); if she wants her pic on SNS then she can do so herself.

[kibbles]

I always loved the saying that don't post anything on Facebook that you wouldn't be willing tp paint on the side of your house.