Our son and his wife had a baby. Born on November 5th. Obviously mum and dad's priority was that of their new family.
We were called at 3am and a photo was sent.
Obviously, we didn't share that photo online. We didn't post their news online. We were more than happy to wait for them to get home from the hospital, tell their extended families and friends, settle into new life before they make any birth announcement online.
They had the advantage of the due date being the 9th November, so it'll be a while before people start asking 'is the baby here'
They had the call from the hospital on Tuesday, to let us know they were going in. Obviously again, I didn't post about it, I didn't tell anyone. It wasn't my place, people will ask for updates. People might start contacting them, asking for news.
We headed over on the ferry on Saturday night, we didn't post about it as people would know why we were going, there must be a baby for us to be making the journey. In fact we didn't even tell our son and dil we were on our way over so they could settle in without having to worry about us descending on them, we just wanted to be that bit closer so when they called to say they were home and tell us we could come over, we'd already be nearby.
When our first grandchild was born 2 years ago, the logistics of visiting were harder as we were in Dubai and the due date coincided with another sons wedding. I arrived a few days before the baby was born (a week early), popped over for the wedding where my husband joined me then both back to the mainland to spend time with the baby before returning home.
The birth was announced on Monday and all of a sudden a great weight was lifted off me. Friends who were asking about the baby could now be told he was here, phone calls could be had, I could chat freely about the new addition in our lives. I could forward photos to friends, I could talk about our new grandchild freely without worrying about someone posting a message online and spoiling their announcement.
When my kids were born we didn't have social media to worry about, you just told people when you saw them. Made a few phone calls to family and people had to wait till you'd had photos processed and they arrived in the post, or they made the journey to visit the new born. In fact I waited a week before I made my social media update in my weekly blog post, only because people then new I'd travelled to Northern Ireland.
Do you have similar worries?
Life was so much easier years ago when there was no social media, now it really does complicate things. I remember a few years ago when my fellas niece shared that she was going to be an auntie before her brother had announced his partner was pregnant and then went on to share a photo of the baby when it was born before anyone wanted her too. She was about 20 years old, old enough to know better but loves the attention on social media. It caused massive drama in the family. x
ReplyDeleteoh no that's awful with your niece. There seems to be an assumption in my family I'll share without thinking, however I think I'm the most savviest when it comes to social media use
DeleteI am so glad social media hadn't been invented yet when my kids were born.
ReplyDeleteme too
DeleteThe 'instant' news phenomenon can cause upsets and sadly a sign of the times. I suppose education when a teenager is ready to enter this kind of media is the way to cope or families being more open with each other about their own preferences. I have one daughter who likes to share and my son and his wife who don't.
ReplyDeleteI always check with my kids and husband first before posting something that might cause an issue just in case they've changed their preferences
DeleteI suppose there is a yin and yang to social media. Congratulations on the birth of your grandson!
ReplyDeletethank you
DeleteI don't really share big announcements but then again what is good about whats app and can share with the people you want. Congratulations also to you and the arrival of your grandchild, exciting times :) X #pocolo
ReplyDeletemost of my psots are just day to day life and if I have an announcement I make sure family and friends have been informed on a one to one first
Delete