Sharenting or Over-Sharing? Navigating Parenthood in the Social Media Era

Parents who share their children’s every moment are also sharing their children’s futures—be mindful of what you post.

Parenting has evolved in the digital age when social media dominates communication. “Sharenting,” a growing practice, refers to parents sharing images, videos, and personal facts about their children online. While sharing moments of joy, milestones, and triumphs has evolved into a natural extension of the digital experience, it also has a complicated set of psychological and emotional ramifications for both parents and children. “Social media is a personal choice, but when you post about your kids, you are making a decision for them without their consent.”

The Appeal of Sharenting

For many parents, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok serve as a digital scrapbook, offering a way to document their children’s growth and milestones. Posting cute pictures or funny moments allows parents to receive validation and social support from their networks. It provides a sense of connection, helping them bond with family, friends, and fellow parents. In some cases, it can even create a sense of community where people share advice, tips, and experiences.

This need to connect and share, however, can be a double-edged sword. The act of sharing, particularly in the form of images, sometimes feeds into a desire for social validation. Parents may feel pressure to present an idealized version of their lives and their children – perfect moments that often do not reflect the full complexity of daily parenting. This trend can contribute to heightened parental anxiety, where the need for approval and positive reinforcement from others becomes a core motivator for continued sharenting.

Read More: The Constant Need to be Active on Social Media Platforms

The Psychological Risks of Your Children

While parents may view sharenting as an innocent way to document memories, it poses several psychological risks for the child involved. One of the primary concerns is the child’s privacy. 

By sharing intimate details of a child’s life, parents may inadvertently expose their child to unwanted scrutiny or judgment. Children do not have a voice in the decision-making process, nor can they fully comprehend the consequences of their digital footprint. Over time, a child’s online presence becomes a part of their identity, even if it’s shaped by someone else.

With good intentions, parents distribute multimedia content, yet there is a lack of rapid danger awareness. According to an Italian survey, a sizable portion of parents (68%) often post pictures of their kids on social media, frequently without thinking about the possible consequences. Paediatricians must provide families with protective techniques to protect children’s privacy and play a critical role in educating parents about the risks of sharing information online Recent studies have revealed. 

Additionally, children may become aware of the material their parents have posted about them when they get older and have access to the internet themselves. Parents and kids may become embarrassed, resentful, and tense as a result. As people’s knowledge of digital issues grows, children may even experience social repercussions like bullying or exclusion because of the pictures or information their parents published.

Do you know the Risk of Digital Exploitation

The possibility of exploitation is a significant psychological risk associated with sharenting. Even if they are meant for a small social circle, publicly uploaded photographs and information can reach a larger audience. These photos can be used by strangers, advertising, and cybercriminals for their own objectives. Although many platforms include privacy settings, it is possible to go around them, making children’s data susceptible to abuse.

 A new sharenting dynamic has also resulted from the growing commercialisation of social media sites. By utilising their kids as “brand ambassadors” or posting paid content, some parents have made money off of their kids’ lives. This practice calls into question the morality of making money off of a child’s image and the potential effects on the child’s sense of independence and value.

Read More: Common Parenting Problems and Their Solutions

The Parent-Child Relationship: Power Dynamics and Trust

Additionally, sharing alters the balance of power between parents and kids. Although parents are the main guardians of their children’s privacy, sharenting is a situation where the parent has the authority to decide what information is shared. Parent-child interactions may become strained as a result of this lack of autonomy, especially as kids approach puberty and start to develop their own identities. A key component of positive family relations is trust. A child’s sense of betrayal might harm the parent-child relationship if they believe that sharenting regularly violates their privacy. The youngster can believe that their own boundaries, autonomy, and emotional needs are not being met.

Let Navigate Sharenting Mindfully

Notwithstanding the dangers, it is crucial to recognise that sharenting does not necessarily cause harm to children; rather, parents should approach the practice with awareness and purpose.

 The following five psychological guidelines will help you navigate sharenting in a responsible manner:

1. Consider Consent: As kids get older, let them help decide what gets shared. Respect their right to privacy and acknowledge their preferences and feelings.
2. Be Mindful of the Narrative: Make sure the pictures and tales you post are polite and sensitive to your child’s feelings, and refrain from sharing anything that can negatively impact their identity in the future.
3. Understand the Long-Term Impact: Keep in mind that your child’s internet behaviour may have long-term effects. A youngster may eventually have to deal with the repercussions of having their life recorded without their consent because their digital footprint is irreversible.
4. Balance Sharing with Privacy: Strike a balance between honouring your child’s privacy and reaping the rewards of sharing their lives. Limit what you post publicly on social media and use private settings.
5. Recognize the Need for Validation: Consider the reasons behind your desire to share particular situations. Is it to get approval from others, or is it just for the fun of sharing? Seeking approbation from others should not be the driving force behind healthy sharenting.

Conclusion

“The act of posting our children online can be a form of love, but it can also be a violation of their privacy. It’s a fine line to walk.” 

We must allow ourselves to be more inquisitive, just as we must allow our children and teenagers to develop via play. As parents, teachers, and carers, we must have more faith in our own skills. You can serve as both a judge and a jury now that we have finished the “Law & Ordinary” episode that is this book. We want our kids to grow up to be independent, self-reliant individuals who can express their opinions and make their own choices. Lets create a safe and healthy lifestyle for our kids . It’s important to change our behaviour appropriately to enhance the better environment for better mental health

FAQs

1. What is a sharenting syndrome?

The phrase “sharenting” refers to the growing trend of parents posting pictures, videos, or other details about their children on their social media accounts and various online platforms.

2. How does sharenting affect our children psychologically?

Excessive sharing of children’s personal details and images by parents, often referred to as “sharenting,” can have harmful psychological impacts on kids, including reduced privacy, heightened anxiety, diminished self-esteem, and even risks of exploitation. This behaviour may expose children to unwanted attention and scrutiny from unfamiliar individuals.

3. Are there any positive psychological impacts?

When adolescents shared more personal details or encountered sharenting more frequently, they developed more favourable views towards it.

4. What are the potential Long-term effects of sharenting on children?

Even simple facts can turn into a treasure trove for identity thieves. A scammer could use images to find out your location or leverage information from your updates to deduce your passwords or the responses to security queries.

5. How can parents protect their children effectively even sharing information on social media?

continuously track pertinent hashtags, engage with key influencers in your area, review the strategies of your competitors, utilize social monitoring tools, produce captivating content that resonates with prevailing trends, and use your platform to join in on trending discussions while offering your distinct viewpoint.

6. Should parents stop sharenting entirely?

During online sharing, parents should only consider publishing their children’s photos on their personal social media accounts and take other measures to reduce the potential risk of damage and embarrassment.

7. How can parents create a safe digital environment for their children?

To “share” data about their children safely, parents should only share information about their children with people they trust, use privacy settings on online platforms, and always put their children’s safety and well-being first when sharing personal data. This can include photos, stories, and even basic information like their child’s name and school.

8. How can we foster social impact through sharing?

If you need social support from the problems you face as a parent, but will have to publish negative or confidential information, Dr. Kirby offers to find a group of parents on Facebook or another platform in Line where you can publish anonymously.

9. How can parents protect their children’s privacy in the digital world?

parents can avoid sharing too much of their children’s personal information, such as embarrassing stories or photos, even if you find them funny. It is important to try to understand your child’s point of view.

10. How can a society address the issue of sharenting?

By improving privacy settings and parental controls, these platforms are giving parents more control over who can see their content. Platforms can also educate users about the potential consequences of sharing, helping to build a more mindful online community.