Kids And Selfie

Considering that Instagram has more 100 millions active users, and  Facebook  has  millions photos tagged, simply: #me , means by number, if we  haven’t taken our picture  of ourselves on those sosial networks, we’re  ‘out of date’ 

Along with  photography  came the self –portrait, where we had to sit still and ‘cheese’-faced’. As the technology has improved and cameras have gotten smaller, lighter, and more portable, the increase in this behavior has also naturally enjoyed an upswing. By  Mass adoption of smartphones and social networks, we can now take photos anywhere, at moment’s notice. So we see people snapping shots of themselves on their iPhones and Droids and other smartphones, doing all sorts of things in the world, walking down the street, driving on the brand new vehicles, eating a meal, hanging out with friends, looking at something interesting etc, and then put them in their Facebook and other social networks accounts and :  voila! They set the world afire.

The Selfie, is seen as a 'narcissism', a way to show our well –being. And there's nothing more self-revelatory than a photo. Selfies are more than just a trend.  Even world leaders couldn’t resist doing a selfie. Last December during the Memorial Service for the late Nelson Mandela, US President Barrack Obama took a selfie with British Prime Minister David Cameron and the Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt.During the Academy Awards Events, Host Ellen DeGeneres took a selfie with Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie, and many others.

Obama selfie at Mandela memorial, credit

The phenomenon of selfie is infesting the children’s world as well as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And also my kids are infected  by “ The Selfie”. Three of 4 my kids likes doing selfies. Thanks God, they just do it on my phones instead of  put in on any sosial networking sites. Whenever I see my kids’ selfies photos ,  it always makes me chuckle and roll my eyes a little. I mean, I know what they look like — and so do they. I don't really need photographic evidence of their existence or whereabouts. Sometimes their selfie makes sense: showing their new toys, new clothing, etc. But generally there's no context,like showing the duckface.

Ai, likes taking selfie just forfun and playing with her gestures

I wanna taking selfie too, and hey: it's just for fun!

won't miss the selfie :)

Selfies are fun, of course. But the consequencies are real. More often my kids take selfie of themselves – even though they just do it in phones,  more aware I am about its consequencies. “How much expectations on my kids- how they feel to act and look? Am I as their mom give them less attention , so they do selfies to express how they are feeling? Or, what they do with their selfies photos just for fun and adventure?

According to http://webtrends.about.com/od/Mobile-Web-Beginner/a/What-Is-A-Selfie.htm, here are some of the most common theories why people take a selfie and upload it to a social networking site:

To get attention from as many people as possible: People like to get noticed on social media, and all of those “likes” and comments from friends are a quick and easy way to fish for compliments and boost one’s own ego.

To get a self-esteem boost: Here’s another reason why young people might be the leading demographic that’s part of the selfie trend. Not only are they plugged into the web at all times, but they also have more self-esteem issues – and many of these teens or college kids might upload selfies to deal with their own self-consciousness.

To show off: It’s human nature to want to show off your own great achievements. When you feel good about yourself (or look good), it’s far too easy to reach for your phone and document it all through one (or several) selfies.

To get a specific person’s attention: Kids who are connected on a social network to someone they admire may be more driven to upload attractive or alluring selfies as a way to seek attention, especially if they’re too shy to do it in person. It’s a strange new flirting method that’s only been around since the rise of mobile, but it’s definitely there.

Boredom: Hey, there are people who are bored at work, bored at school, bored at home and bored on the toilet. That’s right. Some people will take selfies because they have nothing else better to do.

Because social media is fun: Last but not least, social media is about being social! If that means uploading as many selfies as possible, then so be it. Some people don’t need a real reason to do it. They just do it because they like to do it, it’s fun, and it’s a cool way to sort of document your own life.

In my opinion, people who repeteadly post selfies struggle with low self-esteem.But I won’t forbid  my kids using such technology devices. Technology does things to us. It makes our lives easier, but also change our lives constantly. Now,  the technology of camera has made it so we can do it every day instead of just on special occasions or a vacation trip. And for some, it’s this “dailyness” of taking selfie photos that is a problem for us. But, just because we do something more often,it’s automatically a bad thing. Nop! I’m more focusing in addicted of taking selfie and how we deal with that trend, than blame it  on the technology progress.

I’ve been watching my kids’ selfies  and what they do indicate. So far,I think they don’t need a real reason to do it except just for fun,  adventure, and explore something new. Still I have to make clear guiding lines for my kids what do and don’t for them for taking selfie :

Here the rules   for them taking selfie:

1.     Never put the selfie to any social network sites without our permission.

2.     Never taking any selfie in the bathroom and  bedroom

3.     Always wearing the proper clothes when taking selfie

4.     Don’t ever taking selfie just for getting “likes’ and comments (if they put it on their social network)

5.     Don’t upload more than 1 photo selfie to a social networking site in one moment/day.

More important than giving them the clear guiding lines of do and don’ts, it’s up to us to shape the future of the habit, coz everyone’s own situation is different.

Love,education ,communication and giving them the perspective of how  to see  themselves as loveable and worthwhile based on who they are, not what they look like, is the best way to keep our children know how to take selfie on the right track.