So my MIL was over tonight and she asked if she could snap a picture of my girls in the bathtub. I thought no problem, I have pictures of them in the bathtub. So I said sure. Well after she left and the girls went to bed I get onto my computer and look on facebook and she posted the naked picture she took. I freaked out and sent her a message asking her to take it off because I was not comfortable with it being on facebook. She didn't respond to my message she just took the picture down, but I have a feeling (just from past experiences) that she is probably annoyed I asked her to do that. Did I overreact?? Would you have asked for it to be taken down if it was your lo?
Re: Naked baby pics posted online by family?!?!
my read shelf:
I thought it would have been common sense also but apparently not for some. I just don't know why she thought that would be ok. She can post all the pics she wants of them as long as they are dressed. I guess I have to spell it out for her
Definitely agree! You didn't overreact.
I'm going to say that if you "freaked out" then yeah, you did over react. Babies are naked a lot and there isn't anything wrong with a naked baby - or any naked body. Our culture is messed up that way.
That said, it is TOTALLY your right to put some limits on what sort of pictures you want made public. And if you decide that nudity is out, then that's your right. You need to let people know that, of course, and don't expect them to guess it from the beginning. But it's your right to set that line.
Personally, I followed the "no full frontal" guidelines. This sometimes requires patience getting the right angle. At 3 years old, I still follow that guideline, but my daughter likes to be naked so often I'd hardly get any picks if I didn't even allow baby butt! :P In the next year or two, I will eliminate even that, but I hope that situation primarily resolves itself.
At 5 months:
IMG_6425 by tarnalberry, on Flickr
At 3 years:
IMG_5047 by tarnalberry, on Flickr
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I realize what I'm about to say is going to sound like an over-reaction but I'll share it anyway. I work with former police detectives and one once told me that transmitting a photo of a child naked (i.e., a seemingly innocent bath photo) that shows their private parts could be considered transmitting child pornography. See - told you it was going to sound like an over-reaction! :-) But, I still do think about that and would never electronically send anyone a photo like that, and I definitely would not post it on FB.
All that aside, if you are not comfortable with your MIL did, you had every right to ask her to take the photo down. When you next talk to her just play it off casually, like "sorry about my freak out over the photo. It's just something I'm not comforable with. I should have mentioned that to you when you were taking them. thanks for taking it down so quickly." If she's still annoyed, that's on her!
No, you did not overreact.
Yes, babies are in the nude frequently and are comfortable that way...they did spend 9 months naked. However, sharing this on FB can be dangerous.
Bottom line...you are the parent. If you are uncomfortable with the pictures then you have a right to have them removed.
Both this:
"It's about what your comfortable with as a parent. As long as you asked her nicely to remove them, I don't see that you did anything wrong. And she should have asked you before making them public."
And this:
" All that aside, if you are not comfortable with your MIL did, you had every right to ask her to take the photo down. When you next talk to her just play it off casually, like "sorry about my freak out over the photo. It's just something I'm not comforable with. I should have mentioned that to you when you were taking them. thanks for taking it down so quickly." If she's still annoyed, that's on her!
For the record, I don't think you overreacted, and I absolutely would -- and already -- have done the same thing. I don't post pics online of the LO, and despite my openness about that, I have had to remind a few people not to do it. It's not a fun thing to do, but I figure it is my decision because I feel it is in the best interest of my child.
This. Honestly, there are too many freaks on the internet. And once something is on the internet you don't know where it will go and what someone will make of it. There is nothing wrong with a cutesy naked pic, but, for my kid, I wouldn't want someone putting it online (even if it didn't show anything).