Kids and photography

I am an amateur photographer. I basically took it up because I was spending so much time sitting in rooms with babies, that I started it as a hobby.

Mostly the people in the groups I frequent have been pretty enthusiastic about it. There was one parent in the signing class who was funny about me photographing her kid so I didn't take photos on the days she attended our class. 

My parents group have always been great. There are a couple of photographers there too, so it has been fun to learn along with them, and it has been fun for me to photograph our kids growing up. I know several of the parents have really appreciated the photos.

I have also kind of thought of it as playing to strengths. I am one of those mums in that french parenting book - much more likely to be sitting on the side of the playground, watching my kid play while talking to other mums. Some of our parents are absolutely the in the playground going down the slide and climbing the frames with the kids. So I kind of figured between us we had it all covered.

That having been said I have been making a concerted effort to put down the camera and play with Atti - I have been making it a priority every day to spend a little time mornings and afternoons to get down and play with him. So I was a bit surprised and hurt today when (during the time I had put down the camera and was playing with the kids) to have a few comments made about me photographing all the time and missing out on the fun with the kids.

Especially interesting that this came from the most non-judgey mum I know. Actually no, the most non-judgey mum who has a kid my age. But I was really…. I don't know what the word is. Hurt I guess. Stung, anyway. Probably made worse by the fact that I had thought this myself and had made an effort to do more of the getting in with the kids.

But also, I kind of feel a bit pressured by the helicopter parents. I really am a mum who stands back out of the playground unless I am really needed. I am a big fan of competent kids and kids learning to do stuff themselves. And meeting other kids out there and working out their socialising. So I am by inclination and theory one of the mums who is on the edge of the playground - and has every intention of edging back more and more. Because I think it will benefit my kid. My particular kid is very physically competent. And pretty verbally competent so he can also state what he needs and wants. He has spent a lot of time with older kids, so he knows how to go to them for help as well as just shouting for me. If I am the only person there with him I stay closer, but I still tend not to actually get in the playground with him. But where I live there are so many mums who are right in the slide with their kid.   And I think fine, you know your kid better than me, but mine is cool with me over here.

However the mums who have been learning and parenting along side me for the last two years apparently don't think so.

And I am not too sure what I am going to do with that.

You will note that I am not adding any photos to this post. Feels a bit ridic to do so.