Life in a Fishbowl
Nov. 4th, 2013 09:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
puppetmakerThis is one of those entries that was prompted by a couple of things that happened really close to each other.
I was reading through some friends’ blogs and ran across one where the blogger informed their readers that there would be less of their child’s antics on their blog because the child had requested she stop putting what he said and did on the Internet. A little bit later on Facebook I saw a parent talk about their kids but use codenames for each of the children. You would only know the kids’ real names if you personally knew the family. That is how the children have been referred to since about the time they were born. The parents chose to do it this way. I respect their choice and don’t put their kids names out there when I write about Caroline and they are involved. I know of other parents who you won’t know they were parents or grandparents unless you know them personally and they know you personally.
Caroline has grown up in a bit of a fish bowl because of her father and me. Peter asked my permission to talk about our lives in his column and on-line. Caroline was born into it. By the time she came around, Peter had been writing the Comic Book Buyer’s Guide for many a year and about a 1/3 of the columns had something to do with his family. Also when writing summaries for his various comics, he would put in a factoid about what was going on in his life. Her birth announcement was in CBG as was Ariel’s. The older girls ask their dad not to put things out there and he respects their wishes. Caroline has just kind of rolled with the stories.
She knows that her potty training is spoken about in an issue of Captain Marvel. She knows that Peter’s readers know that she takes Kung Fu and is up to a green sash (actually she is up to advanced green sash now). She knows there are bits and pieces of her life out there on the Internet and they are not going to go away.
She knows that her life is not a typical kid’s life. She calls Harlan Ellison, Uncle Harlan. She understands the difference between her fandom Uncles and her blood relations. She goes to voice records for animated series and meets the voice cast. She goes to conventions all over the planet with her family. Her understanding of things is a bit different from most of the kids in the neighborhood.
This all can be good and bad for her. She doesn’t brag about all the stuff she has done but if asked, she will tell you about it. Her classmates are aware that she goes to conventions and that her dad works for Marvel Comics. They know that both of her parents work out of the house so she has both parents pretty much around all the time. They know her mom is a puppeteer and a costumer who knows a lot about books. She is the kid of the creative parents who have the different jobs than their parents. And we all know how different can be a two edged sword.
Caroline and I talked about her on the Internet the other day. She doesn’t have a problem about her father or me writing about her and her adventures. She knows that there are pictures out there that were not taken by a family member. She knows there are fans of Peter’s who have been following her growth since she was born.
I honestly don’t know if this is going to change as we are now in the tween years heading rapidly to the teenager years. I have a feeling it very well might. Or she might start recording her own point of view out here on the net and create her own Internet presence. Whatever she choses, I will try to respect her wishes because it is her life that I am recording.
I am grateful that there is a record of Caroline’s life out there.
I was reading through some friends’ blogs and ran across one where the blogger informed their readers that there would be less of their child’s antics on their blog because the child had requested she stop putting what he said and did on the Internet. A little bit later on Facebook I saw a parent talk about their kids but use codenames for each of the children. You would only know the kids’ real names if you personally knew the family. That is how the children have been referred to since about the time they were born. The parents chose to do it this way. I respect their choice and don’t put their kids names out there when I write about Caroline and they are involved. I know of other parents who you won’t know they were parents or grandparents unless you know them personally and they know you personally.
Caroline has grown up in a bit of a fish bowl because of her father and me. Peter asked my permission to talk about our lives in his column and on-line. Caroline was born into it. By the time she came around, Peter had been writing the Comic Book Buyer’s Guide for many a year and about a 1/3 of the columns had something to do with his family. Also when writing summaries for his various comics, he would put in a factoid about what was going on in his life. Her birth announcement was in CBG as was Ariel’s. The older girls ask their dad not to put things out there and he respects their wishes. Caroline has just kind of rolled with the stories.
She knows that her potty training is spoken about in an issue of Captain Marvel. She knows that Peter’s readers know that she takes Kung Fu and is up to a green sash (actually she is up to advanced green sash now). She knows there are bits and pieces of her life out there on the Internet and they are not going to go away.
She knows that her life is not a typical kid’s life. She calls Harlan Ellison, Uncle Harlan. She understands the difference between her fandom Uncles and her blood relations. She goes to voice records for animated series and meets the voice cast. She goes to conventions all over the planet with her family. Her understanding of things is a bit different from most of the kids in the neighborhood.
This all can be good and bad for her. She doesn’t brag about all the stuff she has done but if asked, she will tell you about it. Her classmates are aware that she goes to conventions and that her dad works for Marvel Comics. They know that both of her parents work out of the house so she has both parents pretty much around all the time. They know her mom is a puppeteer and a costumer who knows a lot about books. She is the kid of the creative parents who have the different jobs than their parents. And we all know how different can be a two edged sword.
Caroline and I talked about her on the Internet the other day. She doesn’t have a problem about her father or me writing about her and her adventures. She knows that there are pictures out there that were not taken by a family member. She knows there are fans of Peter’s who have been following her growth since she was born.
I honestly don’t know if this is going to change as we are now in the tween years heading rapidly to the teenager years. I have a feeling it very well might. Or she might start recording her own point of view out here on the net and create her own Internet presence. Whatever she choses, I will try to respect her wishes because it is her life that I am recording.
I am grateful that there is a record of Caroline’s life out there.
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no subject
Date: 2013-11-04 02:48 pm (UTC)On reflection, I realise that I'm probably being overly cautious in keeping their identities so limited, but I certainly don't think it's a bad thing if others choose to do it differently. While they're so young (my oldest is six), it really isn't so important for them. I guess time will tell as to how they feel about it.
To some degree, Adam and I do work from home and will continue to do so for a while yet. It does make for a different experience for the children, I think.
no subject
Date: 2013-11-04 04:52 pm (UTC)Since then it has been rather different. All I know is that Caroline has a relationship with me and her father that she would probably not have if we weren't around constantly.
no subject
Date: 2013-11-04 10:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-11-04 11:32 pm (UTC)I refer to Jerry as "Fred" on LJ, but it's for historical reasons, rather than any attempt to disguise the fact that he's my husband. I generally don't refer to our nieces and nephews by name, except on tightly locked posts; I've never asked my sibs about it, just assumed that they'd like their kids' privacy protected.
no subject
Date: 2013-11-06 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-11-06 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-11-14 12:50 am (UTC)