How NOT to embarrass your children on social media

Parents often tell their “think before you post anything on the internet,” but sometimes parents need to listen to their own advice. Excited, happy or proud of their offspring, they become overly eager to share these feelings with the world without thinking the consequences through.

So, if you are a parent on social media ask your children if they are ok with you going public with certain information or photos that involve them.

Here are some pitfalls you might want to avoid:

#1 Boast about your family on social media where your children (and their friends) can see it. Some occasions are really special and worth sharing, but parents might go beyond that. Asking your children first what they think about you posting about a certain event is reasonable.

#2 Write personal messages on your child’s Facebook wall. If you’d like to ask what they want for dinner or share an educational article or a motivational quote, keep it private. Call them, use messenger or wait until you gather at home to show it to them. Also, don’t call them nicknames publicly– pumpkin, mouse, love, etc.

#3 Like or comment on everything they post. They know you love them and appreciate the way they are or express themselves. So, there is no need to take every single opportunity to show it on social media. Also, limit your usage of gifs, stickers, and emoticons.

#4 Post embarrassing pics online or tag them in yours. Most of us have lived those awkward moments when intimate photos from our childhood were shown to every relative who visited. But at least they were a smaller audience than the whole internet.

#5 Add and chat with your child’s friends on social media. Unless it’s an emergency, don’t try to seem cool or start building relationships with their friends online, especially without them knowing about your intentions first.

#6 Become friends with your child’s girlfriend or boyfriend on Facebook and like their posts before you’ve even met them. Refrain from stalking them online.

#7 Write about and ask advice about how to deal with different situations in your family life or relationships. For example, posting a desperate selfie from your child’s messy bedroom to shame them into tidying their room is not a very wise decision.

There is a social media etiquette for parents online, and at its core, it’s the same old offline principle: give children space and try not to be overwhelming.