Family footprints: posting family moments online

From first steps to first days at school, sharing moments of our children’s lives online has become part of everyday parenting.

For many families, it’s a way to celebrate milestones, stay connected with whānau and friends, and capture memories. But as children grow, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on how, what, and why we share.

This is often called “sharenting” and it’s something most parents and caregivers are navigating in their own way.

Why we share

Sharing photos, videos and stories about our kids can feel natural. It helps us to stay connected with family and friends (especially those far away), celebrate important moments and build community and support with other parents.

There’s no single “right” approach, but as children get older, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Your child’s digital footprint starts early

Every post, photo or story contributes to your child’s digital footprint (their online presence over time). Even when shared with good intentions, this content can:

• Be copied, saved or reshared by others
• Be seen by wider audiences than intended
• Stay online long after it was first posted

For young children, parents make these decisions on their behalf. But as they grow, they begin to have their own views about what’s shared.

Bringing your child into the conversation

As children move into their early school years and beyond, they’re starting to understand more about their identity, privacy, and how they’re seen by others. This is a good time to start involving them in decisions about sharing.

You might:

• Ask if they’re okay with a photo being posted
• Show them what you’re planning to share
• Respect it if they say no, even if it seems like a small thing

This helps build an early understanding of consent and that they have a say in what happens with their image and information.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing

You don’t have to stop sharing altogether. Instead, you might think about how you share. Some simple ways to take a more privacy-aware approach include:

• Sharing with smaller, private groups rather than public accounts
• Avoiding full names, locations or school details
• Choosing photos that don’t reveal too much personal information
• Being mindful of content that could feel embarrassing later

Thinking ahead

It can help to pause and ask:

• Would my child be comfortable with this in a few years?
• Am I sharing this for them, or for me?
• Who might see or use this beyond my intended audience?

There’s no need to overthink every post but building this habit can support more thoughtful sharing.

Growing with your child

As your child gets older, their expectations around privacy will likely change.

They may:

• Want more control over what’s shared
• Feel uncomfortable with past posts
• Start managing their own online presence

Keeping communication open makes it easier to navigate these changes together.

A shared responsibility

You don't have to get it right every time, but being aware, responsive, and open to change is important for the online footprints of your whānau.

By involving your child, thinking about their future digital footprint, and making small, intentional choices, you’re helping them build a sense of privacy, consent, and control over their digital world.

And that’s something that will support them long after the post is shared.