Thursday, January 17, 2008

A really important vote

I must admit, I'm feeling quite a bit more comfortable with the whole being *out there* on the internet with our family's journey than I did when I first started this blog. That being said, and not withstanding the wonderful people I've *met* and continue to *meet* online, I still have a little weariness about sharing too much information.

Is it overly cautious to be this way? I can't say for sure, but I'd like to think that a little well-placed discretion on the internet wouldn't be a bad thing. So, that being said...here's the $64,000 question...

How do you handle the names of your immediate family online?

Up until now, I've referred to our children by initial only, with the exception of the Boy, who is now, and always will be, known IRL and to the web at large as the Boy. I'm placing a brief poll in my sidebar, where you can cast your vote for helping name the Ark crew, or not---depending on how pressing this issue is to you compared to say the US economy, the war in Iraq and such other banalities.

And if you want to delve really deeply into this topic, let me know in the comments how you handle such an important issue yourself.

9 comments:

christine M said...

I gave my children blog-pseudonyms. Sometimes it's just easier to write a name then to try to write around it.

I based their names on the Halloween costumes they had one year. My daughter was Pippi Longstocking and my son was Harry Potter. So now, they are simply Pippi and Harry on the blog.

I agree - that a little discretion with regard to the internet is a good and wise thing.

Anonymous said...

I think it's smart to keep the kids real names off the blog. You never know who reads your blog. I wouldn't want some freakazoid knowing their real names.
If you are looking to come up with blog names for them I will gladly help with that!!!

CC

Jane (a.k.a. patjrsmom) said...

Yeah, I'm definitely not interested in attracting the freakazoid contingent. Perhaps a rough draft of some blog names is in order. Have your people contact my people...

Jane

Barbara said...

I have always used my children's real names, but I think if I were to come up with "fake" names I'd have to use their middle names or Patron Saint names or I'd never keep them straight. I call them each other's names as it is.

Jane (a.k.a. patjrsmom) said...

Barbara,
LOL!!! I've called them the CATS names even...

Jane

Mama of 5 said...

I don't use my kiddos names or any other names in our family/friends. I also don't list the city/state we live in and I'm careful not to include photos that give away any information. I am going off of guidelines from the FBI. I know that sounds weird or paranoid but I do want to be safe.
Becky

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

Since there are only 3 children in my family, it has worked for me to just use "Big Brother" "Middle Sister" and "Little Brother." My husband is blogged as "TheDad" (his request).
I prefer NOT giving real names of my kids on the blog.
Have fun figuring out a system that works for you. I love the creative names that some bloggers have come up with for their kids.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know there were FBI guidelines on this!! Ugh, it's not paranoia if they really *are* out to get you!! :)

I definitely use pseudonyms. (Sometimes I regret the names I chose--I certainly didn't give it as much thought as for their real names!) I also don't show my kids' full faces--too many weirdos with photoshop, let alone a potential kidnapper. And when I was taking pix of our front porch at Christmas time, I was careful not to show our house number (or the bushes that didn't get trimmed last year.) :)

And I rest easier knowing that very few people actually ever see my blog, so I'd say we're pretty safe!!!

Therese said...

I have always used our childrens real names. I don't see the problem with people knowing the children's names. I certainly wouldn't want someone to know where we live or our surname. That would be giving out tmi. With the 7 of them, I would find it hard to remember what I had named them on the blog.