Information Warns About ‘Sharenting’ Trend
Health experts are raising alarms about the practice of "sharenting," warning parents about the potential long-term impacts on their children’s mental health. The Cleveland Clinic defines sharenting as the excessive posting of information, pictures, stories, or updates about a child's life on social media. This trend, though often well-intentioned, can lead to significant privacy and self-esteem issues for children.
Dr. Susan Albers, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic, highlights the various forms sharenting can take, such as sharing private milestones like potty training or a girl's first period, posting about a child's mistakes or injuries, or even seemingly innocuous updates like a positive report card.
Albers explains that such posts can inadvertently place pressure on children, creating an idealized online image that they might feel compelled to live up to. This can result in dips in self-esteem and self-worth as children grapple with the gap between their real selves and their parents’ public portrayals.
"Sometimes, parents unknowingly create pressure on their kids by crafting an idealized image online of who their child is," Albers notes. She emphasizes that even with the best intentions, oversharing details about a child’s life can infringe on their privacy, autonomy, and right to informed consent.
Although some countries have implemented regulations to protect children's online privacy, the U.S. lacks comprehensive laws in this area, leaving parents to navigate these challenges on their own.
The full effects of sharenting are still unfolding, but early observations suggest it can lead to mental health issues, particularly among teenagers. Dr. Albers mentions that her teenage patients often discuss their discomfort with their parents' digital behavior during counseling sessions.
"Teenagers, in particular, bring it up because their parents are sharing information they’re uncomfortable with," she says. This highlights the need to understand the long-term emotional impact of sharenting, which remains largely unresearched.
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel echoes Albers' concerns, noting that sharenting can stem from parents' obsession with social media engagement, leading them to share more personal information to elicit reactions. Siegel warns that children, already vulnerable to ostracization, marginalization, and bullying on social media, do not need additional pressure from their parents' posts. "Multiple studies have shown that this leads to worsening anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and even suicidal thoughts in a majority of teen girls," he explains.
"The last thing our kids need is their parents throwing gasoline on the flames through what is essentially exploitative treatment of their kids, whether it is intended or not," Siegel cautions. This perspective underscores the importance of mindful and restrained sharing practices among parents to protect their children's mental and emotional well-being.
In conclusion, while sharing moments of your child’s life on social media might seem harmless or even joyful, experts advise parents to consider the potential long-term impacts. Striking a balance between celebrating achievements and preserving privacy is crucial to ensure that children grow up with a healthy sense of self-esteem and autonomy, free from the unintended pressures of an idealized online persona.