Thursday

FB

OPINION
I just wondered whether other nannies think it is ok to name their charges and or put their photos on facebook? And what do moms think of this too?

23 comments:

Nick-isms said...

I don't see any problem at all with a first name. I occasionally post when my charge says something really cute or amusing. I post it as "The Latest Nick-ism".

I fail to see how that in any way compromises the privacy or safety of my charge.

I would never post his photo, though. I love him, but he's my job, not my child.

RaleighWorld said...

I have pictures of twins I used to nanny for last summer but I also had their moms permission and she's my friend of facebook, too. My current family, I take pictures if their baby and show my mom, sister, close friends but I am not allowed, I've asked, to post them on facebook. I anyways ask cause some don't want people they don't know looking at their baby. I think facebook can be safe. Its your responsibility to customize it to be as safe or as open as you need it to be.

I personally wouldn't care as long as there were no naked pics and I was my nanny's friend. I have no kids yet tho but I don't see myself having a problem with that.

NannyPants said...

It's not something I would do unless I know for a fact that it is okay with my MB.
In my case right now, both MB and DB have me as a friend on facebook and have actually asked me to post pictures/videos of my charge so not only they can see them, but they like to share them with their family members as well.

melissa said...

I would never post any child's picture on facebook, let alone children that aren't mine. That's just me though. There are too many predators out there, plus I just don't think it's everyone's business.

knittynanny said...

I take pictures of my charge all the time. I show my family, mainly so I can brag about how awesome and cute he is. I knows his parents and their friends have pictures of him on facebook. DB has mentioned it. But I wouldn't do it.

My aunt just had a baby, however, and I do post pictures of him. Its obviously a lot different though because he's family

no pics! said...

I would never ever put a picture of a child anywhere online without the parents permission. I wouldn't even say their names. It doesn't matter if nannies think it is ok or not, this should be up to each child's parents.

Lyn said...

I post pictures of my charges when we are doing fun activities. Just today I posted a pic of my 3 year old charge dumping hot water on a huge block of ice we made to try and get to the prizes I put in the middle. I also call them by their first names on my facebook. I'd never use their last names and have all of my privacy settings so that only my friends can see what I post. I also only accept friends I know or who are fellow Nannies from this site. My MB is my FB friend too and has given me permission to do this.
However, ALL of my friends are either in different states or 2 hours away in Raleigh. I've been in my current location almost a year and have put forth ZERO energy into finding local girlfriends since I know we'll just be moving again next spring. Isn't that terrible? Haha!

bostonnanny said...

I don't even have Facebook anymore because i don't think ppl need to know what I'm doing all the damn time. My close friends call me and see me in person. Facebook is not safe and having pictures of children on there is not a good idea any freak can find you. Plus fb owns the rights to every picture you post and can use or sell them. I don't think parents should even post them.

If you do want to post a pic you should have a signed consent form from the parents to protect yourself incase anything happens.

MissMannah said...

NO! I do not become FB friends with a boss until after I leave a job. The only times I post pictures of kids is when I am going to link them back to their parents--if I'm not friends with their parents I don't post. Simple as that. I also only refer to my charge as Baby C on FB, same as I do on here. I am very big on protecting my work family's privacy.

WashingtonNanny said...

I am not friends with my current boss nor former boss on fb. I NEVER post pics of my charges and really post about them. Now that I have my daughter who goes to work with me I probably mention my charges a little more but only by the first initial of their name. :-)

nycmom said...

I have become more FB conservative over time and with experience. My husband has always been extremely private and opposed to any posting of private information.

I would never again post pics of my kids or myself on there. I changed everything to private completely. I would un-join, but everything that is out there is out there so no point now.

I have had employees get in significant trouble for FB postings, particularly those that revealed minor lies (where you were when you refused a shift or to fill in for someone). I would never friend or accept a friend request from an employee or boss. I think it crosses a line into too familiar and personal. I would not be comfortable with my nanny posting anything about us anywhere publicly. I do agree the risk is minimal, but all the overexposure has made me value my privacy and that of my kids for their future. I do allow my kids to have facebook profiles under fake names and with no pics. I suspect someday I'll think that is a bad idea too.

pro-nanny mama said...

I am a mom and I would be LIVID if a nanny did that without my permission or worse, my knowledge. Whatever I choose to do in regard to my children's privacy on FB is for parenta to decide, and parents alone. I extend this to my family as well, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and they are well aware. Parents should be the only ones who control their children's privacy in social media. If they aren't concerned, great for them and you.

Betty said...

It all depends on the family to me. I work with several, one I am very close with and have permission/encouragement from both MB and DB to post pictures/videos of their children. Another of my MB's asked that I not do so due to a contentious divorce she's going through.

TL;DR Ask permission!

gypsy said...

Nobody in our family is on facebook, even our teenagers. I value my privacy & heck no would I put my childs photos on the internet! As a nanny, I wouldn't take a photos of someone elses child without permission. And if I did, Id make a little scrapbook. Facebook owns your personal information & your photos. Even if you deactivate it. So, I encourage people to delete theirs. If they value their privacy, that is. Some people just don't care & view it as "just a photo." Id go crazy if someone photographed my kids & posted it online!!! Its partly because of my culture but its more of who I just naturally am, I'm a very private person. Nobody needs to know who I am or where I am, what I look like or what I do. I change my online identity all of the time and never use my real name.

Tales from the (Nanny)Hood said...

I have a pic of myself with my charge when he was about 4 months old on my FB page. I got verbal permission from MB (who took the pic) to use it. It basically shows a portion of his face and his back.

I do not call him (or other former charges) by name on FB or other social media outlets/blogs. I used BB (baby boy) for him when he was under 1, and now he is LG (little guy). I do this even when I am posting in a "private" group with mostly nannies I know personally.

Ness said...

My former nanny added me as a friend after she stopped working for us. I discovered she had posted pictures of my kids regularly as well as talking about them by name and our general location in the city we live. I was not pleased.

Macgyver Girl said...

I am very big on privacy on FB. I go by a fake name, only add people I know personally, with my charges I mention them only by a nickname, and NEVER pictures. I did however send out a newsletter a few times a year written from my charges perspective and included a bunch of fun pics for her family to see.. Just my personal opinion.


A Chicago Nanny

redrosebeetle said...

If I feel compelled to take pictures of other people's children, I email or text them to the parents and let the parents do what they want with them.

I have a minor sister and I don't even mention her by her first name on social media. She's not my kid. If possible, I also avoid friending bosses and coworkers while I am still at a job. Nothing good ever comes from it.

♥ Amy Darling ♥ said...

I don't think this is a good idea. Unless the parents are TOTALLY COOL w/it.

Penny said...

OP this is a great question! With all the different forms of social media twitter, instagram, Facebook, myspace, google plus not much can be left private these days and lines tend to be crossed often times unintentionally. I make it a strict rule to never post pictures of the children I care for, my friends kids, or even nieces & nephews. I personally feel that as adults it's our job to preserve the innocents of children & protect them from harm so when you post pictures on social media websites there is NO guarantee that some sicko or predator will find your information and get a hold of your pictures & do heaven knows what with them. I have a few friends that work for Microsoft & Google (they are self proclaimed computer nerds and spend their work days advancing computer technology so they know a thing or two on this topic,) have told me that even when we consumers take all the recommended privacy steps, & precautions there is no guarantee that somebody can hack into your page & gain access to your information/pictures. Since children cannot defend themselves I don't feel it's fair to put other people's children in that position, you just never know what can happen. I also don't feel it's my place to post pictures of other people's children, I don't even list my occupation on my Facebook page since I work with children. OP bottom line is you never know what can happen & cannot control what happens in cyber space so it's best not to post pictures of other people's children.

alex said...

It definitely depends on the parents. I would never post photos of a family I didn't know would be okay with it. I have nannied for one family since I was a teenager (20's now) and the kids are older now so I don't really watch them except to come see them just to say hi, when they need me, take them to dinner etc. because they truly are my second family and I do post pictures of them. I don't use their names, just initials. I have a blog and will post pictures/videos but their moms are okay with it. If I didn't know their stance I would never do it.

Bethany said...

I would not put photos of my charges on FB or use their names to great of a risk.

I also don't believe in friending employers on FB, especially while they are your bosses.

LINDA B said...

As a parent, I put it in our nanny's contract that she was not allowed to post photos or info about our family or child online. She's welcome to take photos and has some on her phone and shows her husband, friends, etc. but nothing online. I hope all nannies will ask their charge's parents before doing this. Some parents may be ok with it, others not.