Parents, Please Quit Posting Your Child's Meltdowns On Social Media

Today I read a news article about a mother who posted a video of her child on social media. Her 9-year-old son, who has been bullied for having health problems, was saying that he wanted to kill himself. So the mother decided not only to film her child during this vulnerable moment, but to post the video on Facebook. And the worst part is that people are actually applauding her for doing so.

The mother claimed that she was trying to make people aware of the harmful effects of bullying, but that doesn't exactly add up. First of all, bullies tend to be perfectly aware of how their behavior affects others. They usually have above-average social intelligence, which they use to hurt and manipulate others. Their goal is to shame and humiliate others. Bullying is an issue of willful cruelty, not ignorance.

Second of all, by posting the video on social media, this mother was participating in the bullying as well. Children are people, not political pawns to be sacrificed in the name of "social justice." Like all people, children deserve respect, dignity, and privacy. This mother's decision can affect her child not only now, but for years to come. How would you feel if someone filmed you in your most vulnerable moment, and then proceeded to share said video with thousands of people on social media? I'm assuming you'd feel violated. I know I would.

And lastly, while bullying is harmful and unacceptable, I don't think that it explains the whole story. I also was bullied for most of my elementary school years, yet suicide (and other extreme measures) never crossed my mind as a valid solution. Why? Because I had family and friends who supported me. They encouraged me to not let my social status define me. So, while bullying may play a role in this child's suicidal gesture, chances are that there's something deeper going on. Saying "my child is being bullied!" has become a way for parents to deflect responsibility. These parents refuse to examine the role they might be playing in the situation—for example, by fostering a negative mindset or encouraging the child to be preoccupied with what others think.

I wish nothing but the best for this child and his mother. I hope that they both go to counseling so they can work out their issues as a family. However, airing one's dirty laundry on Facebook is not the answer. If we really want to end bullying, then we have to start in our own homes. Be an example of respect and dignity, and your child is almost sure to follow.

"Parents, do not treat your children in such a way as to make them angry. Instead, raise them with Christian discipline and instruction" (Ephesians 6:4).