The Sad Use of Our Children for Notoriety

I watched a sad little video this morning that was posted by a parent whose young son flushed his fish down the toilet and then began to sob uncontrollably. It took some moments before the parent put the phone down to hug the little guy, as she clearly wanted to hold the camera on his face as his melt-down began. I couldn’t help but wonder what possesses parents to showcase their children this way, to use their emotions and vulnerability to create “cute” moments for the rest of the world. If your child is the focus of your love, isn’t it their right to have that become the focus of your actions as well? Are we posting these Facebook, Vine, and Youtube videos for their good or for ours? I don’t think I’m going to be watching these anymore. Cute as they are, what they’re saying about the parents isn’t quite so nice, and I’ve decided not to perpetuate the process by being one of the “clicks” they so anxiously watch unfold.