Have you ever noticed that my children’s faces are not on my blog or social media accounts? I like to capture images without revealing their identity.
Before I started my blog I had been following other bloggers for some time. I was reading personal blogs. Blogs that gave you an insight into peoples private family life. I enjoyed their images and loved how many of the photographs capture the spirit of a child.
I love taking photos of my children and they are a significant part of our story. But do my children want their stories online? How do I really know what they want? How will they feel about their photos being online when they are a teenager?
There were a few things that helped me reconfirm my decision of not revealing their identity on the blog.
I was at a festival with my family and there in the crowd, I recognised some children from a blog I followed. While they did not use their real name I felt like I knew this child and their struggles. The fact they were getting picked on at school and all their health issues. I felt like I was intruding on this child’s personal life. I felt uncomfortable.
This story makes me feel a little sick inside as the children’s image was not used as it was intended. This blogger had forgotten to pack a change of clothes for her sons after swimming lessons. They had to walk home in their bathers. She took a quick snap of the boys and posted it on facebook. It was all very innocent and she didn’t think too much of it. That was until the photo got a lot of attention and inappropriate messages. It was quickly deleted however it only takes a moment for someone to save your images and reuse them.
Another blogger had noticed a shift in her child. The daughter wanted to be more independent and craved some freedom. Between them, they had a discussion and decided not to feature her images and personal stories on the blog.
I must admit, sometimes I struggle with this decision as there are some gorgeous photos that I want to share with you all. But until my children are old enough to choose what they want to share online I will not do it for them.
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Let Me Be Free 
I don’t tend to post pics of my daughter – in fact I’m not sure I ever have. Mainly because it’s my blog & not hers…and also for the reasons you’ve explained.
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Nice to have something that is just yours!
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I think you’re very wise. I think I’d be the same if my children were still young. Now they’re adults I always ask their permission first. On the other hand I also think that by the time young children of today are grown up, mostly everyone’s life will be documented somehow on the internet.
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It is such a different world we live in now. I am glad social media was not around when I was growing up.
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I can totally understand your decision. Some people divulge a lot but in the end we all do what’s right for our own situation. I always ask my kids before I post a pic of them.
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Each to their own. I love looking at other peoples photos and reading about other peoples lives. I just choose not to give too much away about my own kids.
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Fair enough.
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A wise decision. Privacy is sacred and fast disappearing. I’m sure folks wonder why there are so few people in my pics, they must think that Australia is empty!
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My partner is so private and paranoid about people knowing too much information. I am starting to understand where he is coming from now.
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Yep I’m the same. It’s my blog and once my kids weren’t real infants anymore I started feeling more uncomfortable about appropriating them and their stories for my blog. Plus as you say, you hear these horrible stories. At the end of the day my kids’ identities are their own, not mine.
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Our photography will improve with these candid shots we have to take!
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I don’t share my child’s face on my blog or social media pages as well.
I tend to take a lot of photos similar to the ones you’ve shown here – ones of my son participating in an activity but shown from the rear view.
The downside is sometimes I forget to take photos of his face for my own personal records 🙂
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I am the same, I look back and think I wished I had taken better photos of my children!
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I ask my fam before I post. But I rarely post their pics on my blog anyway. For the same reasons. I have posted pics of my (step) grand daughter, but only after permission from her mum.
It’s also why I don’t talk too much about my fam, I do a bit, but again, only in vague terms and with permission. Because the bottom line is, it’s not my stories to tell. #teamlovinlife
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Good to see so many bloggers feel the same way.
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I don’t have kids and am not sure what I’d do. I’d certainly use a pseudonym I think. I sometimes talk about my godson (#Pickle) but never use his name. I also always check with his mum before I post anything on social media that shows his face or him doing something.
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I don’t post pics of my children or intricte details of their lives on my blogs because I don’t think it’s appropriate or safe to do that. I think you’ve made a wise decision.
stopping via Lovin’Live
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Your reasons are very valid. I do include photos of my family on social media (they are comfortable with that) but I am very careful of not revealing personal details that I think others’ would not want revealed publicly. I do have concerns for children whose parents expose their deepest secrets or struggles to the world. I would be considering the long term effect of that rather than a picture.
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