We are all guilty of sharing and sometimes even oversharing on social media when it comes to kids. Sometimes, it’s hard not to brag about an activity or event that you participated in with your child. Honestly, that’s totally OK. But what’s not OK, at least according to some users on social media, is sharing videos of yourself faking playing with your kids just for the clout.
Chances are, you have seen someone do just that. So when one user on TikTok shared a video where she explained in text on the screen that she saw it in real life, others commented to share their thoughts. Unsurprisingly, many were quick to call out the types of parents who essentially fake play with their kids in videos and photos just to get attention on social media.
Parents are being called out on social media for faking playing with their kids.
@iamhannahamigo I sometimes really hate it here #fyp#socialmedia ♬ son original – out of context hannah montana
The TikToker, whose name is Hannah, shared a video of herself on a grassy hillside with text on the screen that reads, “social media isnt real. I just watched a woman pull up to this spot, set up her phone, call her kid over and record herself spinning the child in the sunset, both laughing. She proceeded to ignore the kid, take selfies, scroll and smoke for the next 45min while her 3-4yr old ran around alone and unsupervised.”
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to play with your child on camera to save the memory. There’s nothing wrong with sharing that for your followers and family members to see on social media. Honestly, if you are also a content creator and you are comfortable sharing that, then that’s fine as well. The issue that most see with what Hannah describes in her video is that some parents are playing with their kids only for clout on social media.
“These kids are gonna be so confused as to why they have photos of a childhood they didn’t actually experience,” someone commented on the video.
Other parents wrote that, because of bloggers who seem to put content above parent/kid relationships, they have tried to put down their phones, even if it means not taking as many photos for their personal collection. For others, it’s all about balance, as long as they are actually spending genuine time with their kids.
Some kids, regardless of their age, do take notice of parents who aren’t actually present. You might be there with your phone in your hand and the camera out, ready to film, but if that’s all you are doing without truly participating, kids will notice that. It’s the parents who realize this and shift gears who understand why fake playing for clout is such an issue.
“I tried doing mom/family content for like 2 weeks,” one mom commented on the TikTok video. “My 3 yr old made a comment ONE time and said “you’re always making a video” haven’t done it since. not worth it IMO. the littles notice.”
Someone else shared, “The fact that they play with their kid to POST it online proves that they know that is what they’re really supposed to be doing for their kid. But they choose not to. That’s what’s most disturbing.”
