I got this email recently from a reader here, who asked me:
If you would never post your kid’s picture on your dating profile, what would inspire you to do so on your blog?
“Don’t you think you should have some consistency?” she added.
This reader has a point. And I believe that posting your child’s photos on your blog is a very personal decision.
On the one hand, I’ve heard parents bloggers say that walking through the grocery store is probably more dangerous than a stalker stumbling upon your kid’s picture online and tracking you down.
On the other hand, I’ve also heard more than one story about a photo being copied from a parent’s blog and used illegally for advertising.
I say: use common sense. Don’t give our your kids’ first and last names — or your home address, or where your kids go to school.
Do you post photos of your kids on your blog? How do you feel about this?
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A similar issue came up at the Sunday School my daughter attends. Parents were divided on the issue, because they were in the habit of posting photos along with information about special events, achievements, and other celebrations. It was finally decided that photos would only be posted which included the children’s first names, with no last names, hometowns, school information, etc. However more detailed information could be obtained by logging into the Members Only section of the website. I agree with this policy, and as a single mom, I prefer to err on the side of caution. There are just too many weirdos out there these days! Case in point, we live in a rather affluent suburb on the North Shore of Chicago where families represent roughly 75% of the population and the median household income is well above the state’s average, as well as that of the U.S. Still, I was appauled to learn of the number of sex offenders living in close proximity to us!
Well, you know on occasion, although I’d say rarely, I do post photos and I use pseudonyms. I tend to be on the more cautious side…but I try not to be paranoid. Tough call because of exactly what Lexi’s Mom writes above.
Well, I am not blogging currently but when I did, I felt free to post photos of my kids. I also post photos of my kids on Facebook. But to me there is a very clear difference. When I date I am looking to date someone for me. Not my kids. I am not necessarily looking to settle down right now, my kids are my main focus. So do they have a place on a dating website? IMO, no.
Jennifer,
Your comments certainly help put things into perspective. The first part of Rachel’s question was general; “Do you post pics of your kids online?” whereas later she specifically questions the issue of photos on blogs. Most of her readers/followers who have blogs are single moms, so that is obviously a different purpose than other types of websites. So as for dating websites, I agree, children should not be there.
Lexi’s Mom
When I tried the online dating thing I never included photos of my children and wasn’t comfortable with men that did. Although they are a big part of our lives, they aren’t part of the dating scene.
I am just starting up a blog as we speak and should be posting my first entry today. I haven’t decided on the photo thing yet. I’m even a tad leery on posting my own pic, but maybe that’s because I don’t find myself very photogenic!!
interesting discusion! I’ll probably follow up at parentingdiva.com within a couple days. My two cents: pictures are fine. pictures of my kids are fine. Theres not one (not even ONE) moment of the day when my child is accessible to someone I don’t know. Heck, she’s 7 and yet I don’t even let her go into restrooms alone. So you can look at my kid all you want, but you will never get a chance to take her, until she’s, like 20 and out of my house
ok that’s wishful thinking. But you know what I mean.
Allena: Well said! I agree… I don’t let my 7-year-old go to bathrooms alone, either. I’m right with you.
kb: I’m going to check out your blog. Thanks!!
P.S. I take that back about http://www.iservethequeens.blogspot.com/ because just after I posted this blog, she posted beautiful pics of her “Queens.” Lovely.
I post photos of my daughter on my site, however I do not use her real name…I also do not post the typical cutsie bathtub photos or anything that would make a pervert raise an eyebrow. Though I am not currently actively searching for dates(though I have been seeing a guy I have known for 5 years)…so my blog is not about dating.
I dont use my daughter’s full name on my blog and I do post her pictures but making sure they are no funny angles…ensuring safety on the net has been a cause for so much debates among my friends. I try not to be so paranoid as I think living in a city has taught us that even walking to the market could be dangerous as well.