'I will never understand why any baby would require their own social media accounts.'

Why do babies have their own social media accounts? That is the question.

I do not understand, I do not comprehend, I just don’t get it.

Parenting is a tough gig, it is hard to get it right, in fact it is impossible to get it right all the time.

Actually, I shall re-phrase, it is hard to get it right even some of the time. And then when you think you have, up pops one of these articles that makes you feel judged for what you thought was you doing the right thing. So, if you are a parent who has a social media account for their baby, please know this is not an attack (each to their own) but can you please help me understand why because I a truly at a loss.

My two children are beyond babyhood but casting my mind back to the days when they were, I never thought for a second during the hours of the night I was awake feeding them, or during the days where I was in a constant zombie-like state while keeping these newborns alive that creating a social media account for either of them was a productive task for the day. Nope, thinking really hard, it was definitely never on my to do list.

 

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???? The Triplets ????

A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Sep 14, 2018 at 4:53pm PDT

The reality was my own social media accounts were on the back burner during these times because I had no time, no brain capacity and although these babies were cute, most of the time we were just getting by and posting photos was often an afterthought.

While I am all for sharing whatever it is you as a parent would like to share of your child – lots or none, public or private – it still baffles me that a newborn, an infant, a toddler, hell even a child (age limits apply) would require their own social media account.

I mean can’t these pics just be posted on their parents’ platforms? Why does a baby who cannot speak, who is not yet mobile, who cannot even hold their own head up require an Instagram account that is entitled with their name?

It seems my way of thinking is not shared by everyone. Now, when I say everyone, many of these ‘ones’ are celebrities that probably have someone employed to fill this role (which is another question entirely), but regardless I still don’t understand why it is at all necessary. Especially since many of these celebs still post photos of their children on their own social media as well.

These social media celebrity babies who because of a choice made by their parents have become celebrities in their own right amassing thousands, even millions of followers. One day they may be really grateful, one day they may be really pissed off.

 

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⚡️Future so bright, She gotta wear shades ⚡️

A post shared by Khloé (@khloekardashian) on Mar 10, 2019 at 9:36am PDT

I will start with a Kardashian baby because social media doesn’t seem right to talk about without referencing one. True Kardashian, Khole’s daughter, who with 56K followers and 392 posts before even turning one shows the world her luxurious life, as well as many images of her mum Khloe, solo in lingerie, close up bum shots (of Khloe) and other essential images that totally represent this infant, very ‘True’.

Boomer Phelps, Olympian swimmer Michael Phleps’ son has 714K followers and a much more relatable social media account, excluding the private jet and expensive toys.

Serena Williams’ daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian had her own Instagram account while quite new to the outside world; in fact most of her first photos were of her asleep. She now has 559K followers who are able to view her already enviable life, including her Vogue cover with Mum (well tbh I would post that too).

 

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Ready for 2019 like…

A post shared by Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr. (@olympiaohanian) on Dec 31, 2018 at 9:03pm PST

Gunner Pratt, Speidi’s (The Hill’s Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt) offspring has 78K followers and then to take the social media baby follower cake is DJ Khaled’s son Asaahd Khaled who has a whopping 1.9 million followers!

This trend is not limited to the celebrities; there are many ‘everyday’ parents out there who have decided that their own baby needs a social media account as well. In fact, a survey by website Gerber found 40 per cent of parents aged 18-34 had created a social media account for their baby before their babies had even turned one.

With online bullying rife, keyboard warriors ready to type their often unfounded and hurtful opinions at any moment I do question why you would want to create a direct social media channel for people to be able to do this to your own child? I wonder whether creating a social media account in a minor’s name, without their ability to comprehend it whatsoever, is really fair? I wonder whether if you already have social media for yourself that you share images on why it is necessary to create accounts in your baby’s name?

I just don’t get it.

Shona Hendley is a freelance writer from Victoria. An ex secondary school teacher, Shona has a strong interest in education. She is an animal lover and advocate, with a morbid fascination for true crime and horror movies. Shona is usually busy writing and raising her children: two goats, two cats and two humans. You can follow her on Instagram. 

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