I saw this link posted on FB and thought it was an interesting article. I think I generally agree with the writer, but I don't have a LO yet so I guess I don't know for sure!
Your thoughts?
I saw this link posted on FB and thought it was an interesting article. I think I generally agree with the writer, but I don't have a LO yet so I guess I don't know for sure!
Your thoughts?
squash / 13199 posts
I think the writer makes some good points but at this point my LO is only 5 months old so i will continue to take ridiculous amounts of pictures of her lol
cherry / 249 posts
It isn't the photo-taking that needs to be culled, it's the child's exposure to the photos themselves that should be done with moderation. Showing a child lots and lots of photos of themselves on an iphone from the time they are very little like the writer of the article (most likely in times where they were desperate for a distraction) is going to be the same as if you were to show that child youtube clips or something else just as diverting. They of course will ask to see more when bored. It's the same concept as plopping your kid down in front of a tv and then being shocked later when they whine and complain about wanting to watch more.
If you keep the exposure of the child to only the photos that are only printed and hung on walls or put into an album, then you don't have this self-awareness problem that he's referring to.
I like that the writer brought this to attention but he is way too preachy about how he assumes everyone obsessively shows their kids all the photos they take. I also wish that instead of hinting that we should stop taking so many photos of our kids altogether, which seems a rather excessive solution especially for first time parents, he instead focused on more realistic solutions because it really is a good point he is making but it breaks my heart to think of all those parents out there wishing years later that they had taken more photos to remember certain moments or to show their kids moments they can no longer remember. But then again, this is coming from someone whose baby is not born yet and who documents their life in photos consistently.
pomegranate / 3872 posts
I think the bit about the little girl putting her arm around her sibling and saying 'you should take our picture' is interesting. Even among my FB friends I see a major trend of every event becoming an elaborate photo shoot, not just one or two cute shots from the pumpkin patch but an album of 40 pictures with props and whatnot. I think that has to change a child's experience because they are stopping whatever they are doing and posing or the mom is taking 20 shots to get the perfect picture of the kid reaching for an apple. I want pictures of my kid as much as anyone, but I want my children to remember all the fun experiences and not just the pictures.
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
@however briefly: I have to agree with your assessment . We take a lot of photos and the girls do love seeing them, but it's only a once in a while treat to show them how they are growing up and what they used to be like.
I have noticed that Lala has learned to pose for pictures and she'll often give me different angles. She seems to have learned that instinctively, though
pomelo / 5866 posts
I actually have seen some of that self consciousness come out as a result of showing her photos. She doesn't want to see her pics more often but she is not as happy when I take the camera out. It is like she wants to be left alone with no paparazzi. She did agree to letting me take video of her do a somersault today. Her new trick.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
@JerricaBenton: I don't know.... even if I try to do a photoshoot my lo would never let me. She has a mind of her own, and I work around her and take whatever pictures I can get. But isn't that what we're supposed to do?
I take a ton of pictures of my lo. For now I'm not going to stop. They're my memories and she's too little to be affected by it. Ill cross that bridge when I get there.
pomegranate / 3872 posts
@artbee: Yeah, I don't think taking pictures is a bad thing at all, I just know that trying to make an activity a big photo op takes me out of the moment so I think it must do the same to kids as they get older.
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