Ok…if you are a mom and you are on Facebook I realize that is a GREAT way to the let the World know how Adorable your children are….but let’s stick to some guidelines:
1. During pregnancy if you feel the need to photo your stomach every week please add a disclosure….b/c NOT everyone thinks pregnant bellies are awesome….they give me the heebie jeebies (IF I ever get pregnant TRUST ME I will feel the same way about myself)
2. When you go into Labor please don’t drag it out over a 2 page status update with all the details
3. Once you have ‘new baby’ you are permitted to go crazy with updates and baby pics for ONE month…then you have to start incorporating stuff OTHER people care about….or at least aren’t sick of hearing about or seeing
4. Don’t change your default photo to a picture of your baby (or babies)…..you are still you….you did not turn into ‘The Baby’….well you probably did…but let’s pretend you still are an individual
5. Eliminate Potty Training updates altogether….seriously….isn’t their ‘Group Therapy’ for that???
6. Don’t go with the flow…EVERYONE does First Day of School updates…..why not pick a random number out of a hat and update that day of school……Then everyone will notice your update
7. Only post FUNNY and ORIGINAL stuff your children do….even if you have to make it up…no one cares if your child found out he/she has buggers and thinks they taste good…EVERYONE’s child discovers that @ some point
8. Remember before you were a Mom…you were YOU…..and don’t forget that…..we want to hear what YOU are doing, sometimes, not always…..unless you are still really interesting and clever
Ok…I think that concludes today’s Rant…..
AgentDragonFly's Blog 
I totally agree with this.
I am still ME, not just “the mom.”
And I think NikkiMom said it best up there about parents pushing their kids front and center to make up for them not being as awesome..because I know A LOT of people who do that.
I like interesting, random status updates. Not just “oh we took a poop today, hurray!”
0.o You put it much more eloquently than I could!
*eep I meant to type NikkiMoi!
Totally my bad!
I really have a hard time when people change their photo to one of the new baby. It irritates me the way some people leave up the default silhouette. I just don’t get it. Sure post pic’s of the new addition, hell I have dog book profiles for both my dogs. I guess not having kids I will never understand the need to live vicariously through them. And by that I mean I have one FB friend who’s daughter looks so much like her that I get confused when I look at her page. She is a sweetheart but come on….why don’t you care enough about yourself to be you on FB and let your daughter be her, rather than someone’s mom or someone’s daughter?
I agree…I would probably post baby pics if I had one too, but I would hope I wouldn’t become “so & so’s mother” and no longer be me, plus drop all my single, non-parent friends, quit doing other stuff, etc.
I understand what you mean. For some parents, there is an overwhelming need to live vicariously through their children. They push their kids front row, center stage all the time…in part to make up for their own failings as children. Sometimes it’s because they want to make sure their children have everything they did not. I do think that as time passes, the majority of people who have lost their identities do rediscover them.
It is really quite complicated, actually. And there is a fine line between being proud of your children and being overbearing about them. But that goes for just about everything.
We human beings can be obnoxious creatures, eh?!
*muah*
I read this when you first posted it, and I wanted to think about it before commenting. Wasn’t even sure I would respond.
Of all the things I have ever done in my life (and I have had a pretty grand life), the best was/is being a mother. The best of me was in parenting. I am colorful enough in other ways that I do not think I ever overdosed anyone with pics or unnecessary details about things regarding my kids…unless they were hysterical and off the wall.
I also never thought my kids were perfect, unlike many parents who feel their “precious darlings” are perfect. I am pretty sure I struck a nice balance in all ways.
However, sometimes I feel that people who choose NOT to have children unfairly mock those who do have them. Maybe a childless person bores the hell out of people with endless drivel about his/her work, hobbies, etc. It’s really all the same, you know?
But when all is said and done, the VERY BEST of me went into my children. And I will unconditionally love them until the end of time. If I drive others nuts (everyone’s tolerance varies), tough shit. =)
Oh Nikki…I am ONLY talking about the people that lose themselves and ONLY seem to live thru their children. I LOVE MANY posts and blogs about silly & cute stuff people have to say about their children….but when it is a constant stream of NOTHING but what their kids did or how tired they are b/c of their new baby not sleeping, and feeding schedules…..30 posts of baby pics a day……Aye….
I just HATE to see people LOSE the other side of them….their individuality…..
Most people (on FB….like peeps from HS or even co workers) seem to lose themselves 1. when they get married and even more so 2. when they have a baby
They no longer have anything to share about themselves (as an individual) and that is what I am talking about…..
I just hate to see people lose originality in themselves and what they say…
I think that is the best way to describe it
Ok, how bad am I, on a scale of 1-10? I need to know.
LOL…well you do first day of school but your children are soooo cute and ALWAYS FUNNY…..you are good!!! I Swear!!! LOL
There are some dads who do that, too. Booooooring.
You know, I clicked over here from Twitter, expecting to find a bit of biting wit. And the wit is there. But a couple of those points hit home in regards to some of my real-space friends and their pregnancies; particularly the bits about forgetting who they were before they became “The Baby”. I hope a few expectant mothers read this and actually take those points to heart.
OH YEAH!!! Ok….will do……
Awesome! Add “ultrasound pics” to #4