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In this Facing the Dark conversation, Dr. Kathy and Wayne Stender engage the growing concern around "sharenting," a term popularized by legal scholar Leah Plunkett to describe how parents and trusted adults share children's lives online. While often well-intentioned, constant posting can subtly communicate that a child's value lies in how they appear, how well they perform, or how much attention their moments generate.
Dr. Kathy explains how children can internalize the belief that they exist to make parents feel proud, connected, or validated. When everyday life becomes content, kids may begin to feel responsible for maintaining a highlight reel rather than simply living their childhood. Over time, this can affect identity formation, confidence, and a child's ability to own and narrate their own story.
Wayne reflects on the tension many parents feel: wanting to capture meaningful moments while also wanting to stay present in those moments. Together, they challenge families to reconsider the rhythm and ratio of posting, to create private spaces for memory-keeping, and to invite children into owning their memories rather than outsourcing them to a feed.
Grounded in Scripture and child development, this episode invites parents to pause, put the phone down, and choose presence over performance, so kids can grow up known, secure, and free to become who God created them to be.
