A few months ago there was a case that made the news and was the headline for a couple of days. I'm not a fan of this type of news, but some cases have to be covered as some people need to learn.
The whole thing blew out of proportion when someone alerted the authorities about a mother threatening her two kids online, while streaming on a streaming platform for the dumbest. I don't want to name it, but most likely you know which one I'm referring to.
While she was streaming, the two kids came in and asked for food or water, I can't remember exactly. They were both small, under 6, but disturbing the mommy while she's talking sh*t live is a capital sin, so she shouted at them, to get out and when they didn't, followed the insults and threats with beating.
What came next was that social services paid a visit and after some investigation, they removed the kids from mom's care, and appointed the granny as temporary legal guardian, till a final decision is made.
It's heartbreaking to know such cases exist in 2026 and even worse that most likely this was not the only one. Neglecting and threatening your kids because they need caring is not what you do, as some parents apparently are too busy to care.
Photo by Philipp Düsel on Unsplash
You see similar scenes every day, kids running around the restaurant screaming, as parents are too busy drinking and conversing with their friends. There's a special case at the hairdresser, where I am a regular. A young mother with two little girls, always making everyone try to escape as quick as possible. She's bringing them along as most likely there's no one to help at home, which would not be a problem, but when you see them trying to empty every drawers and cabinets, throwing magazines on the floor makes you wonder if everything is ok in the family. The only thing the mother can do is give them her mobile phone, hoping it will keep them quiet. This lasts for 5 minutes, after which they start fighting and the circus continues. After two sessions with them, I am making sure to pick another day for myself as honestly life is complicated enough, no one needs such a circus each time.
At the other extreme there are those who use their kids to get what they couldn't get, and that's fame. With the digital era we live in, reaching the biggest crowd is not as impossible as it seemed let's say two decades ago. You can register to any platform for free, upload and stream what you want and start your "career". It's up to you if you want to waste your precious time like this, but the problem starts when you're using your kids to make money and so many are doing it, unfortunately.
Photo by Vitalii Onyshchuk on Unsplash
You see kids trained to make a fake smile, even if they don't want to, to sing, to dance or whatever is trending on these platforms. Saying no is not an option for these young victims of stupidity and for some punishment is coming if they attempt to protest.
Those times when you could see kids doing what they wanted on a photo, let it be a genuine smile, laugh or a sad, angry face, are long gone. Now every photo is kind of the same, with the same fake smile and pose. This is how you destroy the kid's personality, teach them to fake everything so you can be happy and possible earn more followers and some money as well. The most important and precious thing you should protect at any cost is used to to benefit your stupid needs.
Photo by Atul Pandey on Unsplash
The world is brewing after some countries want to ban the use of social media platforms and phones in schools for a certain age category. Opinions are divided, some are pro, others are against it, it depends on who you're speaking to, but imagine when parents are placing their kids in harm's way.
It is not easy to find a middle ground and a healthy balance these days and you can't suffocate your kids with excessive control, but there has to be some boundaries to protect them and offer them a healthy upbringing. Parading them in front of the camera should definitely not be part of the plan.
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