Hellobee Boards

I think people are a bit too sensitive.

@Mae: Agreed.

@Mae: ha, you beat me to it.

@LBee: You said it so well. I have to wonder about a parent who gets legitimately mad about their kid throwing up or eating dog food.

I agree with the article. Those types of posts always make me feel bad for the kid getting made fun of by the people that they are supposed to always trust and respect. I get that toddler behavior can be awful and irrational, but making fun of them for being toddlers just seems cruel. They can't help being little weirdos. A joke between parents is one thing, but blasting it on the internet has future implications for the kid.

I'm also uncomfortable with those Jimmy Kimmel Halloween and Christmas pranks.

I don't love the tone of the article (it makes parents who do this seem like insensitive a-holes and I don't think that's the case 99% of the time) but I don't find that kind of stuff funny. It makes me cringe, in fact, when I think about that kid and if they were old enough to see and understand that they're being made fun of. I tend to come from a place of "how would I feel if it were me" with doing anything with my kid, and there are ways to be funny without making fun of them.

I don't feel as strongly about it as this article, but it does make me uncomfortable. I think it's very different to sharing a private joke with your husband or a friend offline.

@BandDmommy: Totally. My parents loved to tell everyone a story about how when I was first potty trained I looked into the toilet and said "Look mom! Fishies!" It's totally embarrassing and absolutely hilarious.

I sure hope my kids can have a decent sense of humour...

@Mrs. Carrot: Taking a pic and saving it for their wedding? I would do it if it were the perfect opportunity.

Blogging/youtubing about it seems totally extreme, but photos (even on facebook) don't bother me at all.

@Mrs. Carrot: My parents tell embarrassing stories about me all the time. Several were told at my rehearsal dinner. I kind of view it as if you can't deal with some basic good natured teasing, you are in for a TOUGH ride. The examples given, in my opinion, were very tame and were basic toddler antics. It's not making fun of them for not being able to do something (i.e. my toddler can't ride a bike, he's an idiot, here's a picture of him laying on the ground, injured beside it) or a lasting characteristic -- I don't know many adults who still eat dog food.

With that said, I think you are spot on when you say that it's the difference in the world we live in concerning the medium in which things are being shared. My parents couldn't share videos of my antics to the world.

@.twist.: Would you do it if your kid told you they would rather you didn't? IE, if they found the story of them throwing up in their new car seat not funny, would you still share it with their wedding guests?

The point is that yes, there are plenty of things about kids that are hilarious. But there's a way to approach it without making it as though they're being shamed. What the article describes is the latter, and I find that uncomfortable. Never mind that it's being made public AND without their permission.

@Mrs. Carrot: I have pics of my kid in underwear and cowboy boots. I think it's cute and would share it in a slideshow at a rehearsal dinner. Same as a kid wearing a super hero cape and other silly stuff.

@LBee: As I mentioned in other replies, I think funny stories and teasing are one thing. But I've seen plenty of things online where it is outright shaming and I think that crosses the line. And different kids have different levels of sensitivity. Not everyone wants to have their throw up story shared with the universe, even as an adult. I believe in respecting that choice.

@BandDmommy: My point is that you are getting to make that choice on behalf of your kid. When they aren't old enough to know different, maybe it's no harm done, but if the underwear and cowboy boots pic upsets them or they don't want it in a slide show for whatever reason, do they get to have a say in the matter? I assume you'd respect their feelings, and with the internet, we're leaving that kind of imprint potentially forever without giving them the choice to share it or not.

@Mrs. Carrot: Well, while I don't care if other people have done it, I don't find throw up funny at all, so I wouldn't make a funny post about it to begin with.

I think yea, if he really hated a particular story I would not do it. It's a bridge I'm going to cross when I get there, but I do hope that I can teach my kid to be able to laugh at himself over silly things like eating dog food.

@Mrs. Carrot: yes, if he hated it I would not but I would hope to teach my kids to laugh at themselves and not take life so seriously.

I agree with the article.

@blackbird: Me too, apparently. I just think my toddler is funny, and he cracks me up. I don't post crying pics but I post silly pics of him.

I tend to agree with the article and think it begs the question would you do the same thing to your spouse / friends / subordinates at work, etc?

Spot on @Mrs. Carrot: with the mug shot comparison.

I remember my dad shared a story that he just thought was so cute with a friend. When I told him mid-story I didn't like it and was embarrassed he told me I'm too young to be embarrassed and went on telling the story. That was devestating.

I'm not a fan of teasing "good natured" or not with kids or adults. My bro at 2 years old found himself upside down in a cooler chest. There's a pic somewhere. Some would say posting that pic on FB would be cute. A pic on FB with him out of the cooler just standing and a sign tied around him stating "today I fell into the cooler" just seems more cruel.