Your cart is currently empty!
Are You Over-Sharenting? You’re Not Alone!
Let the judgment commence, because I’ve been there too. It wasn’t until I noticed strangers recognizing my children in public that I truly understood how deep I had fallen into the rabbit hole of oversharenting. A recent University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll reveals that I’m hardly alone in this; many parents are sharing their kids’ lives online. Over half of mothers and about a third of fathers surveyed admit to discussing their children’s health and parenting experiences on social media.
But how much sharing is too much? For instance, was the photo of my son struggling with potty training too much information? Please don’t answer that.
“By the time kids are old enough to create their own social media accounts, many already have a digital footprint established by their parents,” says Jamie Thompson, M.P.H., an associate director with the C.S. Mott poll and a research scientist at U-M Pediatrics. “There’s a fine line between sharing and oversharing, and parents may inadvertently disclose information that their children might find embarrassing later on. Once it’s out in the digital world, it’s tough to erase, and kids may feel they lack control over their online presence.”
Interestingly, kids are starting to reclaim that control by avoiding the social media platforms we love. My 12-year-old rolls her eyes and insists, “Facebook is for old people posting boring pictures.” Since 2011, over 11 million young people have ditched Facebook (#byefelicia!). Even Instagram is losing appeal due to the growing presence of parents who feel the need to document every moment.
So where are the kids hanging out instead? They’re flocking to platforms like SnapChat, Oovoo, and Whisper, where they can curate their own identities and share content that’s temporary and less permanent. It’s a clever tactic—our children are actively making our oversharenting efforts irrelevant by simply not engaging with it.
Guess it might be time to focus on those belfies instead!
For more insights into navigating parenting in today’s digital age, check out our other articles on the importance of privacy in sharing online, as discussed in our post about privacy policies. Additionally, if you’re interested in learning more about home insemination, Make A Mom provides excellent resources to get started. You can also listen to the Cleveland Clinic’s podcast for valuable information on fertility and pregnancy.
Summary
In a world of oversharenting, many parents are sharing too much of their children’s lives online, often without considering the long-term implications. Kids are increasingly distancing themselves from parental social media, opting for platforms that allow them to control their own narrative. It’s a clever move—while parents document every moment, children are creating their own spaces away from the oversharing trend.