Question for those who blog

[ajfries]

I've started blogging, mostly because I enjoy writing & I think it's a good way to chronicle our lives at this phase. I don't really want it to be 'private', but I do want to be mindful of the kids' privacy & safety. Like I said, it's mostly for me, but I do think that at some point I might share something worth someone else reading.

 

I was just wondering how you guys feel about putting pics of your kiddos on the net...no big deal? Proceed with caution? Share pictures, but not real names; names but not pictures?

[ajfries]

:blushing: Bump. This forum moves fast! ^_^

[Robin M]

It's not big deal to me and I share pictures and names. First names only. Except I call my husband, father or hubby because he doesn't want his name out there because of our business.

[LostSurprise]

I don't mind pictures too much, but I don't give our last name, their first names (I usually refer to them by an initial), or the town/area we live in.

[Coco_Clark]

I do pictures and first names. And honestly, if you read long enough you could probably pick up where we live and our last name. I don't have a huge readership, maybe 50-75 hits a day? But it's enough that I certainly don't know everyone that reads it. I don't see any danger in it. My photography isn't good enough for anyone to steal, and if even if they did I wouldn't care. And abduction risks are preposterously low (IMHO).

 

I try not to write things that would embarrass my children later, but they are very young, so that's not a huge issue so far.

[IrishMum]

I love having a place to put our favourite pictures, but I use fake names. Good luck with your blog!

[momma aimee]

I've started blogging, mostly because I enjoy writing & I think it's a good way to chronicle our lives at this phase. I don't really want it to be 'private', but I do want to be mindful of the kids' privacy & safety. Like I said, it's mostly for me, but I do think that at some point I might share something worth someone else reading.

 

I was just wondering how you guys feel about putting pics of your kiddos on the net...no big deal? Proceed with caution? Share pictures, but not real names; names but not pictures?

 

we have reason to be very cautious about family safety. I post tons of photos of the boys (and of me sometimes). none of DH (ever).

 

We do not use names, and while i do link locations we go to (zoo, national park, etc) we never say where we live (i say things like: rural, South, dessert).

 

Could i be more careful -- yes i could never post photos or blogs that have any "way of telling where were" (like zoo, or national parks or ...) but we have decided it is a safe balance for us.

 

my name is on it -- but only my first name

[retiredHSmom]

My teenage daughter has a blog http://justalittlebi...ly.blogspot.com that gets 90-120 views a day and has international followers. She posts pictures very freely but does not use real names. She and all her friends have nicknames. She does post her location at college rather specifically but our home location has been very vague. She loves the outlet of writing and her writing has really improved. It will be a fun history of her time at college.

 

Edited to add- my husband did once ask my daughter to pull a post. It focused on his military service and the places we had lived and he was uncomfortable with it. I really didn't worry but understood his concerns even if I didn't agree with them.

 

I think that the bigger danger would be from people local to us than from someone who is reading blogs by people from around the nation.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

I do pictures and nicknames for the kids. (My last name is in my username for everything, including my blog.)

[Aspasia]

I post pictures and first names on our family blog. And I think I've probably even mentioned the city we live in. But you know, we live in the DC metro area with almost six million other people. And our specific city, which runs seamlessly into all the others, has 60,000. I definitely don't post things that will be embarrassing to my kids (though they are really little). I have always wondered why people use code names or first initials only. Dh and I have talked about it a ton, and I feel like I must be missing something that is obvious to everyone else. But I'm not a super private person.

 

Honestly, though, what is the fear? Do predators really stalk mommy blogs and then show up and cause problems? (That's an honest question, not a rhetorical one.)

[PrincessMommy]

I have used first names and photos. However, I don't always use first names - mostly I just refer to them by their birth order (Middle daughter, youngest son, etc.) It just depends on my mood, but I'm not against using their first names.

[Hen]

I try to be careful, but I also love photography, and since starting my blog, my photography has gotten better- blogging has inpsired me to work at taking better photos. So yes, I do put photos of my kids on my blog, but, I don't have our real names on it- I use nicknames for my kids and dh. I don't ever mention what city we live in, just the general area. I blur license plates from cars on our street and street numbers.

 

It's a good thing to think about before you start blogging, decide what level of comfort you have with being online. I also watermark my photos and I try not to put photos up that weirdos might be interested in.

[Ravin]

Pictures yes, and nicknames instead of real names. I also don't post pictures of other people's children online (fb, blog, whatever) without permission.

[Wheres Toto]

I use first names and pictures. My kids all have very common first names, and I live in a very populated area. If someone searched my entire blog, all the postings I've ever done on forums, they probably could figure out the general area of NJ I live in. But that still wouldn't narrow it down that much. A google of my full name - first and last - comes up with about 50 matches that aren't me, including 5 or 6 in my state or with locations nearby.