Are you a paparazzi parent? You just have to catch that moment?

Forget about helicopter parenting, today’s new hot trend are the producer-paparazzi parents.

Paparazzi parenting is obviously trending thanks to digital devices and social media, but it’s not something new. Even with analog and traditional photographic and video cameras, paparazzi parents have been here all along. We all had that embarrassing moment when one of our parents was called out for taking a picture in a place/moment they shouldn’t have. And by the way, paparazzi parents are also something pets have to deal with. You know who you are, and yes, they do look cute with that outfit/costume.

Now… we do know it’s fair and normal to share cute pics, right? If it’s your kid, you made him or her, so it makes sense that you’re proud and ready to share. If it’s your pet, yes it’s quite the achievement to get them to pose, so we get it. It is also beyond normal to record the Christmas, Spring, Halloween, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc. festivals.

However, as with everything there comes a time, when it is just too much.

How can you tell? Check which of the following statements are true to you:

You have to have your camera ready every time you’re with your kids or pets.
You make them hold a pose even when they’re clearly uncomfortable.
You actually take four or five pictures to check which one is better.
You do not follow ads or regulations that require you to NOT take pictures or recording (including recording while driving)
Your kid asks you to get the cell phone to take a picture or record a video.
You may actually record your kid throwing a tantrum or during an embarrassing moment.
You share your kids’ pictures and videos in public settings, not just personal or private accounts.

If you actually noticed that 3 or more of this were true to you, you may want to stop and put that cell phone away for a little bit. We get hooked on technology really easily, and most of the time, we are truly doing things for a good reason. We really want to cherish memories, or we have family away who with whom we want to share things. We also just find them extremely cute and would love the world to see it!

Producer parents go the extra mile. They actually develop settings and scenarios that will allow their little nuggets of joy to become the next cute pic or video in your timeline.

This includes, but is not limited, to those who open Instagram accounts for them; or start YouTube channels with contents to highlight their young stars.

So what’s wrong with it? Well… in essence nothing if you’re aware of your kids’ right to privacy, and share materials with your friends and family only. However, in no time, you will lose track of how much time you waste recording memories, and how little you enjoyed while it happened. You may get “viral” fever and enjoy the rush of having your kid being loved and followed by more people than you know or care for. And chances are if you live most of your life behind the lens, you will have little time to experience what’s going on in front of it. And trust me, nowadays you want to be as present as ever in what happens in front of it!

We have become too used to multi-tasking. We barely even notice how absent we are from conversations and moments, until someone says something in the lines of: “Do you remember that face John made last week?” If instead of thinking about it, you actually browse your phone to see if you have it, then you know for sure you’re crossing the line.

I know it’s hard, and like I said, it’s not all bad, but… Live more! Less photos and videos, and more moments. Remember that your kids want to be happy, way more than they may ever want to be famous. They don’t even know what famous is or does. So… if you become more present you’ll see that your kids and loved ones will give you way more to remember and share, than anything you could have stored!