Parental Control -- Or Lack of It

On Myspace and Facebook, I see a lot of people post cute pictures of their kids. They have their whole family albums up online – for cousins, aunts, uncles – even grandma to see.

Problem is, everyone else online – which is over two-thirds of the global population – can see these pictures too.

What’s wrong with that?

Well, not too much – in an ideal world. Fact is, we live in a world where everyone has to watch their backs.

Online predators, stalkers, and child molesters just so happen to be able to access the Internet, just as you and me.

So, although it might seem like a relatively safe and harmless thing to post pictures of your kids online – it’s actually one of the dumbest, hair-brained ideas any parent can have.

You might as well hang a placard around your kid’s neck saying “take me – I’m yours.”

I don’t date single moms – no offence to those readin’ this blog – I just don’t want kids in my life at this point and time. But I did go out on a handful of dates with single moms eons ago, before I realized becoming an “instant daddy” wasn’t for me.

Back then, the smart single moms never mentioned anything about their dates to their kids. They never brought out pictures of their kids on the first couple of dates – they drew a strict line in the sand between their dating life and their family life.

At first, I thought it was odd that these parents wouldn’t talk about their kids. All parents our proud of their kids, and will talk non-stop about their little one’s accomplishments.

But after reading about all the abductions, the luring and then seeing pictures of whole families on the very public Internet – I finally understand why these single moms wouldn’t talk about their kids.

Unless you become serious with someone – really serious and see that person over a course of several months often – or more – than it makes no sense to complicate a kid’s life by introducing a complete stranger into it.

It is also safer – although that hot babe seemed pretty sharp at the gym, once you get to know her on a date, you may realize she’s thick as a two-by-four and just as dull. Going out with someone for the first little while doesn’t really get you inside a person’s mind-space.

Until you have been able to really dig deep into another person’s mind-space, you shouldn’t be posting your kids pictures on Myspace, Facebook, or any of the other online social networking sites.

Actually, you probably should never post pictures of your kids online – if you really want to share with someone, just show them the pictures in your wallet. Or send emails with the pictures to those who you know very well.

If Grandma can figure out Facebook, she’ll probably be able to see your kids smiling faces in an email message directed specifically to her.

Parents that blindly place their kids photos online, aren’t very good parents, because they are violating the one thing that all good parents do – protecting their kids from the evils of the world.

Don’t be a bad parent – keep your kids pictures offline.