Are you an irresponsible parent if your kid becomes a YouTube viral sensation?
Used to be the only embarrassing thing our parents had on us was that naked bearskin rug snapshot tucked in a scrapbook. No one ever saw it -- except when Mom pulled it out to show one of our dates. But now, thanks to YouTube, we can humiliate our kids in front of millions and in the process turn them into Internet stars! Sure, it is tempting to share these moments with others online or even try for 15 mega-bytes of fame....but should we? We asked respecte clinical psychologist Dr. Cara Gardenswartz to weigh in.
The Doctor Says...
"There is nothing funny about a helpless little boy trying to tell his parents that his baby brother is bleeding," Dr. Gardenswartz explains. "The older child is clearly terrified and does not know if his brother is safe. Furthermore, his parents are not demonstrating that they will protect his brother (and therefore him) if they are hurt. This type of interaction can only foster a sense of insecurity, and a lack of feeling safe in the world."
Toddler Dancing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies"
One comment on YouTube says of this video, "It's disgusting the kind of sexuality young girls are exposed to nowadays." What do you think?
The Doctor Says...
"I don't disagree with the YouTube comment," Dr. Gardenswartz says. "You can only imagine what else this little girl sees (and eventually will imitate) in the background."
Chubby Cuppy Cake Boy
You've got to wonder about the parents who let this video of their son, who suffers from a rare kidney disorder, become a viral video phenomenon.
The Doctor Says...
"It is not even clear to me what the 'cake boy's' parents are trying to accomplish here," says Dr. Gardenswartz. "This video, like everything else on the Internet, is immortal. For years to come, this boy may be a victim of ridicule and humiliation. It's impossible to fathom what the potential benefit of posting this video online may be. Is the goal to foster pride? To a casual observer, this boy's medical condition is reduced to nothing less than a side show gag."
Kid Singing Britney Spears Scared to Death by His Mom
Six million people have seen this kid get the sh*t scared out of him when his mother bursts into his room unannounced. The mom obviously thinks the boy's reaction is hilarious because you can hear her cackling If this little guy becomes a closet cross dresser, you can bet good old Mom had something to do with it.
The Doctor Says...
"This little boy is expressing himself artistically privately, and now his self-expression is being ridiculed publicly," observes Dr. Gardenswartz.
Kid Scared of Puppets
The poor kid in this video is freaked out by an innocent puppet show. FREAKED. Whoever let the camera roll without comforting him is cruel and whoever put it up on the Internet is worse.
The Doctor Says...
"The child is feeling anxious and should be pulled away from the puppet show," says Dr. Gardenswartz. "Once again, a child is left feeling unsafe in the world because he is not protected emotionally. Put down the camera, and remove the child. At the end of the video, he is reduced to hitting himself over the head with a chair. This is practically child abuse."
So what does this all mean? "Children should not be on YouTube," says Dr. Gardenswartz. "If a parent wants to share a video of their child with their friends or family, they can do so privately. Putting children on video on the web has too many ramifications. Videos online live forever -- and will follow the child for the rest of their lives. This could lead to ridicule at school, humiliation, low self-esteem and embarrassment. Parents are supposed to protect their children -- physically and emotionally. It's solely self-serving of the parents to use their children in this way."
Do you agree with our expert? Would you put your kid on YouTube? Sound off in the momlogic community!
Used to be the only embarrassing thing our parents had on us was that naked bearskin rug snapshot tucked in a scrapbook. No one ever saw it -- except when Mom pulled it out to show one of our dates. But now, thanks to YouTube, we can humiliate our kids in front of millions and in the process turn them into Internet stars! Sure, it is tempting to share these moments with others online or even try for 15 mega-bytes of fame....but should we? We asked respecte clinical psychologist Dr. Cara Gardenswartz to weigh in.
David After Dentist
Since it was put up earlier this month, this video has over 12 million views. Gotta wonder: how cool is it to tape your kid all hopped up on Novocaine for all the world to see? Are we destined to see David's follow-up video 30 years from now: "David After Therapist"?
The Doctor Says...
"David's parents are getting a big laugh out of his current state," says Dr. Gardenswartz. "To the viewer, it's sickly funny. However, what this video doesn't highlight is the painful procedure he just had, followed by the pain he will feel when the medicine wears off. It's sad that his parents and viewers around the world are having fun at David's expense."
Blood
This little boy is trying to tell his dad his baby brother is hurt. Yes, he does say the word "blood" in an interesting way -- but should his father really be laughing in his face? Finally, the kid has had enough and and screams, "Not funny!" We agree.
"There is nothing funny about a helpless little boy trying to tell his parents that his baby brother is bleeding," Dr. Gardenswartz explains. "The older child is clearly terrified and does not know if his brother is safe. Furthermore, his parents are not demonstrating that they will protect his brother (and therefore him) if they are hurt. This type of interaction can only foster a sense of insecurity, and a lack of feeling safe in the world."
Toddler Dancing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies"
One comment on YouTube says of this video, "It's disgusting the kind of sexuality young girls are exposed to nowadays." What do you think?
The Doctor Says...
"I don't disagree with the YouTube comment," Dr. Gardenswartz says. "You can only imagine what else this little girl sees (and eventually will imitate) in the background."
Chubby Cuppy Cake Boy
You've got to wonder about the parents who let this video of their son, who suffers from a rare kidney disorder, become a viral video phenomenon.
The Doctor Says...
"It is not even clear to me what the 'cake boy's' parents are trying to accomplish here," says Dr. Gardenswartz. "This video, like everything else on the Internet, is immortal. For years to come, this boy may be a victim of ridicule and humiliation. It's impossible to fathom what the potential benefit of posting this video online may be. Is the goal to foster pride? To a casual observer, this boy's medical condition is reduced to nothing less than a side show gag."
Kid Singing Britney Spears Scared to Death by His Mom
Six million people have seen this kid get the sh*t scared out of him when his mother bursts into his room unannounced. The mom obviously thinks the boy's reaction is hilarious because you can hear her cackling If this little guy becomes a closet cross dresser, you can bet good old Mom had something to do with it.
The Doctor Says...
"This little boy is expressing himself artistically privately, and now his self-expression is being ridiculed publicly," observes Dr. Gardenswartz.
Kid Scared of Puppets
The poor kid in this video is freaked out by an innocent puppet show. FREAKED. Whoever let the camera roll without comforting him is cruel and whoever put it up on the Internet is worse.
The Doctor Says...
"The child is feeling anxious and should be pulled away from the puppet show," says Dr. Gardenswartz. "Once again, a child is left feeling unsafe in the world because he is not protected emotionally. Put down the camera, and remove the child. At the end of the video, he is reduced to hitting himself over the head with a chair. This is practically child abuse."
So what does this all mean? "Children should not be on YouTube," says Dr. Gardenswartz. "If a parent wants to share a video of their child with their friends or family, they can do so privately. Putting children on video on the web has too many ramifications. Videos online live forever -- and will follow the child for the rest of their lives. This could lead to ridicule at school, humiliation, low self-esteem and embarrassment. Parents are supposed to protect their children -- physically and emotionally. It's solely self-serving of the parents to use their children in this way."
Do you agree with our expert? Would you put your kid on YouTube? Sound off in the momlogic community!
filed under: viral videos
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