Wednesday, May 27, 2009

When do we become our children - what does your photo say?

I noticed a strange phenomenon on Facebook when following a link to the Mother Connection meet-up group. (Full disclosure I am not a mother, but I have one).
If you've used Facebook or any social networking site you know that you can create a profile image to help friends identify you or perhaps with you.

Here's what I noticed.
Of mothers attending an up-coming meeting, the majority (66%) had a picture of their child or children as their profile image, 27% had a picture of one parent and child(ren), 9% had an image of 2 parents and child(ren), 9% had no image.
Not one person attending the meeting had an image only of themselves.
This may not be too revealing until compared to those declining, maybe attending, or not responding. Of these 9% had a picture of their child only, 30% a child and 1 parent, 21% a child and 2 parents, 20% a parent alone, 7% a couple alone, 9% no image.

So a parent who profiles themselves with an image of their child or children is more likely to attend a meeting like this one. More than that, so is a parent who identifies themselves in an image with their child.

In conclusion, a scant 8 out of 54 mothers identified themselves with an image that included only themselves, while another 3 identified as a couple without children and 5 had no image. That means 10 see themselves in the image their children, 17 as themselves, plus their children, 11 as a couple and their children.

So when did mothers stop being individuals and identify as their children or a family unit? I dare say the same may apply to other groupings, fathers, grandparents, tattoo artists, musicians, hikers and bikers.
What does your image say about you... and tell others?

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