You know your child is adorable – and you might love sharing photos of him reaching special milestones or doing cute things on your personal social media channels. But how do you establish rules for what babysitters can and can’t share about your child on their pages? With the popularity of apps like Snapchat, it’s becoming easier than ever for babysitters to snap photos of your child and share them with their followers. If you’re uncomfortable with the thought of your child being on someone else’s social media timeline, it’s important to have a conversation about your expectations sooner rather than later. Consider these tips as you prepare to set social media boundaries with your babysitter:
What, if Anything, Can Your Sitter Share?
The first question you’ll want to ask yourself is whether you feel comfortable with your babysitter sharing any photos or videos of your child on social media. If the answer is no, make that clear from the beginning. If you don’t mind that she shares a photo or two, here are some general guidelines you may want her to follow, including:
- Disabling location settings and not sharing private information
- Making sure her profiles are private
- Not sharing your child’s name
- Only posting photos of your child in full clothing
How to Limit Usage of Social Media
Even if you don’t mind your babysitter accessing social media while “on duty,” it’s still important to set boundaries in terms of how often she’s utilizing it. Making sure she’s paying complete attention to your child is the first priority. Playing on her phone or being distracted by photos could pose a danger to your little one. To prevent this from happening, set rules in place like only using social media while your child is sleeping and keeping her phone put away unless there is an emergency.
Have An Open Conversation
Discussing your social media rules might seem uncomfortable, but it’s just as important as sharing emergency contacts, bedtimes and other relevant information. Allow for open conversation so your babysitter doesn’t feel attacked. If you’re okay with her sharing photos of your child, ask if she’s comfortable if you follow her on her social media platforms so you can see what she’s posting. If she isn’t, explain that you’d like to see any photos she posts before she shares them, so you can approve of the content. Having a dialogue will make it easier for everyone to understand what is expected.
Just trying to keep the screens off in your home? Here are some tips on how to limit screen time.
