Womb tubers – Videotaping the stick

Well, the next generation (literally) in social sharing has bubbled to the top. Posting a video of the stick turning blue/pink or  +/-  with pregnancy results online the moment it happens.  I knew this was next way back in January when we were discussing ultrasound parties, because this is a nation of over-sharers.

A quick search on YouTube of “pregnancy test results” brings up over 42,000 results. Go ahead and try it, we’ll wait………

Again, I say, this fascination with videotaping and sharing every private moment of your lives is narcissistic and sad.  In a world where Instagram and YouTube is used by millions of people, I can see it happening that a gal gets so excited when she sees she’s pregnant that, out of habit, she hits the share button to upload the video just before she realizes that she hasn’t even told the baby daddy yet. Ooops. Oh well, he can read it on his Twitter feed…??

Now I understand getting on FaceBook and posting, ”Hey, guess what, we’re pregnant!” and things of the such, but the world doesn’t need to be in the bathroom with you by way of video feed.  Is there nothing private anymore?

Apparently not, because there will be some kids in a few years that will hate their parents when they realize mommy also videotaped them potty training and posted that for the whole world to see too….for ever…and ever…. on the internet.  Thank goodness there was no YouTube when I was a kid!

Potty Parties: film at 11

What about these potty parties I keep hearing about? Do we really need to throw a party for a child who learns to control a bodily function? Potty parties are just another over-achieving mommy’s idea of an event that needs to be memorialized with a special party for their special child. Ridiculous!

People, as a parent you should celebrate this event with your child; hugs all around, maybe some candy and stickers, maybe even a cake, AT HOME, with the family. This is not and should not be a public event. We need to reel in this trend of having a party for EVERYTHING your child does and take a step back so they can have realistic expectations of life.

And now, as if the party thing isn’t enough, we have the I-really-must-post-this-for-the-world-to-see parents on social network/video sites! Yikes!

I realize this is a milestone in your child’s life but is it really public-video-YouTube-worthy? This has got to be worse than the party because at least the party is over at some point. I see this stuff and I am SOOO thankful that YouTube didn’t exist in my day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhdyh6hSdgs

I feel bad for these kids because these videos of them pooping will NEVER go away, ever. The parents think they’re adorable but I’m wondering if the children featured are gonna love the idea of it when they’re older and say….dating? Shouldn’t these types of videos, if the parents MUST tape them, stay in the family vault somewhere?

How are you celebrating the potty training milestone at your house? Keeping it in the family or “going public”?

Kids Say the Darndest Things - Embarrassing moments for Moms

Kids say the darndest things and often it's embarrassing and surprising, some more than others.  Funny story:  Back in a former life, when I was doing something else for a living, I had a client who had dropped by school to pick up her 5 yr old before coming to see me. Once in the office, as we were talking, she casually asked her daughter what she had learned in school that day to which the 5 yr old excitedly replied, "I learned the F word today!".

I thought this woman was going to have a coronary; she almost fell off the chair.  She was able to compose herself long enough to ask her daughter what, in fact, the F word was.  The 5 yr old half covered her mouth, and giggling replied, "Fart", hee hee hee! The relief that washed over this woman's face was comical....but only if it's not your kid...right?

Young children have little impulse control and have not cultivated empathy for other's feeling yet so things just fly out of their mouths. Babble child development suggests, if they're saying something about someone loudly it's best to get down on their level and tell them quietly "You are right." and tell them you'll talk about it when you leave. 

If they are cursing, don't place too much attention on the particular word and try and distract them to another topic until later when you can talk to them and tell them that is a word we don't use in our family. If they realize they're getting a reaction, they may just use it more often for attention. Just another challenging aspect of raising little darlings!