More than likely, there is a variety of psychological factors at play that cause some of us to gravitate toward “loud” announcements versus “softer” ones. Extroverts thrive on social media, and they like to “go big or go home” when celebrating big milestones online. They’re the people who, before making their movie trailer to announce a baby, probably made a huge production out of getting engaged or married. If you’re more of an introvert, it’s easy to look at these over-the-top online “performances” as being cheesy, narcissistic and self-congratulatory, especially if you’re someone who hasn’t yearned her whole life to get married and/or have a baby. It’s hard to buy into the hype when your guiding principles reject the idea that everyone must perform all the time.
More:Letting kids play in the rain is fun… until your neighbor calls CPS
Plus, insecurity plays into our online behaviors in weird ways. I don’t think you’re feeling insecure about not making more of a splash in your pregnancy announcement, N., but you might be a little insecure about why some people choose to communicate personal news on a grander scale (and get showered with likes and comments in the process). What is it about our biological makeup that causes some expectant couples to post a short one-line baby announcement with no photo and others to gather up their ultrasound pictures, a jar of spaghetti sauce and a box of frozen waffles for a photo shoot?
There’s no right or wrong way to make a pregnancy announcement, but if you’re not into clichés, you’re not going to be able to stop your eyes from rolling when you see an example in your feed, regardless of who posted it. Over-the-top baby announcements are like the Coachella fringe skirts of Facebook. Just be glad you’re not wearing one.
Do you have a question about parents on social media? Send whatever is on your mind to stfuparentsblog at gmail.com.
Leave a Comment