If you have an exceptionally beautiful child...

[tlbwriter]

For someone who is teaching "stranger danger" I just wouldn't post so many photos on this forum or any other.

She doesn't post her name or address. How would you find her child based on her photos?

 

[tlbwriter]

I don't see this as being different from having an exceptional athlete or an exceptional student.

I don't think a genetic accident is the same thing as a true accomplishment.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

She doesn't post her name or address. How would you find her child based on her photos?

Sadly it's easy to find information on anyone & that would cause me great concern.
Just an opinion.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

She doesn't post her name or address. How would you find her child based on her photos?

I swore I wasn't going to post again, but in all honesty if you think that the internet is this huge safe place where you can't be found, you should do some research. The shear skills that people have now compared to just a few years ago would blow your mind. You even have what I call "junior stalkers" who post their conquests and abilities to research and find people. The Disboards is one of those places these people enjoy hitting. Nothing, absolutely nothing is sacred on a forum board.

Carry-on with the beautiful people.....

 

[Donaldswife]

I don't think a genetic accident is the same thing as a true accomplishment.

I agree, kids who are exceptional students or athletes may have genetically gifted with some ability, but they work hard for their accomplishments. If someone is born beautiful it is not something they had to work for, or even had a say in. Totally not the same thing.

 

[tlbwriter]

I swore I wasn't going to post again, but in all honesty if you think that the internet is this huge safe place where you can't be found, you should do some research.

No, I don't think that at all. But I think that the OP is reasonably safe. I've never been one of those people who believes the bogeyman is going to come steal my child just because he sees her picture online. Pedophiles tend to victimize children they know and have access to.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

No, I don't think that at all. But I think that the OP is reasonably safe. I've never been one of those people who believes the bogeyman is going to come steal my child just because he sees her picture online. Pedophiles tend to victimize children they know and have access to.

IMHO being realistic and feeling like it will never happen to you is just living in la-la land.

 

[tlbwriter]

IMHO being realistic and feeling like it will never happen to you is just living in la-la land.

Whatever works for you.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

No, I don't think that at all. But I think that the OP is reasonably safe. I've never been one of those people who believes the bogeyman is going to come steal my child just because he sees her picture online. Pedophiles tend to victimize children they know and have access to.

I'm not talking bogeyman. From that picture someone on another part of the internet who may have read something she posted and disagreed, decides to "cyber-stalk" her. For fun lets say, just to see how far they get. Everything this other poster finds, they document on the internet, and in the end everything ends up in the cache. So someone see's the pictures of a cute little girl and google the poster's name and voila, life story, name, address, etc. Maybe this person is just a nice person in real life who had a little extra time and now they know everything, and or this person is a hacker, who takes the information for financial benefit, and GOD-FORBID, this person is a very bad person who takes these pictures and many more because they were able to hack into their account and this poor child is a poster picture for things we all would hope would go away.

Please, if you all just take one thing away from this, a thread titled, exceptionally beautiful child is a pedophile's favorite google search.

I am not trying to be mean or anything. This is the world we live in. Now if you want to believe all is safe, go ahead, there is nothing anyone can do. It's your right. Post whatever you want.

In the meantime, if you have ever been victimized or know someone, you would most likely change your opinion.

 

[tlbwriter]

In the meantime, if you have ever been victimized or know someone, you would most likely change your opinion.

Actually, I know someone who was the victimIZER. And he found his victims the way pedophiles generally do - he put himself in a position where he was with children who grew to know and trust him, and then he took advantage of that. He didn't shop for them online. I'm sure there are some people who will do that, but when you spend all of your time and energy worrying about "stranger danger" and internet stalkers, it's easy to get distracted from the most dangerous person - the one your child already knows.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Actually, I know someone who was the victimIZER. And he found his victims the way pedophiles generally do - he put himself in a position where he was with children who grew to know and trust him, and then he took advantage of that. He didn't shop for them online. I'm sure there are some people who will do that, but when you spend all of your time and energy worrying about "stranger danger" and internet stalkers, it's easy to get distracted from the most dangerous person - the one your child already knows.

YOU are 100% right and I do agree with you. My only problem is that I was posting about cyber-stalkers and how they work. Since I agreed with you, I am going to step out again.

Please other posters, just take a second to understand that there are all kinds of people in this world and with the internet you are connecting to the whole world. I so dislike posting like this, preaching I guess you would call it. Sometimes you just have to go back and think before you hit enter, that's all.

I am sorry I hijacked your thread, please carry-on.

 

[phorsenuf]

Geeesh, some people need to lighten up. Of course every parent is going to think their child is the most beautiful thing ever. Not sure what the issue is and why people are wigging out over it.

 

[NikitaZee]

The only exceptional looking children I have seen have been on TV or in advertisements. I have seen some very pretty children, but exceptional to me means rare, extraordinary good looks. I have seen some posters put pics of their kids up here on the DIS, and still haven't seen what I would consider exceptional. Pretty, but not exceptional. As a pp said - beauty is in the eye of the parent. Oops - I meant beholder!

 

[Aisling]

I think it comes down to more how the parents react than what others say about a child.
I don't see this as being different from having an exceptional athlete or an exceptional student. It's all in how the parents deal with those things.

I agree with this 100%. Some kids are exceptionally beautiful, let's face it. And someone may want to express there "you're child is beautiful!!" amazement. Nothing wrong with that.

Parents reaction=conceited kid or not

 

[Aisling]

Praise a child's attitude, or behavior, or kindness to others, rather than their beauty.

Everyone likes to hear "you're beautiful", even beautiful people. It seems like there's no problem telling an average person "you're beautiful", but say it to an exceptionally beautiful person and it's wrong because beauty doesn't matter?

 

[krcit]

Actually, I know someone who was the victimIZER. And he found his victims the way pedophiles generally do - he put himself in a position where he was with children who grew to know and trust him, and then he took advantage of that. He didn't shop for them online. I'm sure there are some people who will do that, but when you spend all of your time and energy worrying about "stranger danger" and internet stalkers, it's easy to get distracted from the most dangerous person - the one your child already knows.

I read a blog about a young family. A while ago, the mother was contacted by police on the other side of the world because her daughters picture was found on some sicko pedophile's computer. Thankfully, he WAS on the other side of the world but he had her picture and her name just from blog posts. Never hurts to be a bit careful with what you put out there in cyberspace.

 

[SDFgirl]

I teach Kindergarten. There is a girl in another Kindy class who I think is truly beautiful. Everyone talks about how stunning she is, she is just a classic beauty. She is sweet and kind to her classmates, so I guess her parents are doing something right!

Growing up, my brother was always considered a "hottie." He got looks everywhere we went. He's a great guy but went through a snotty phase when he was in his early 20's because everyone threw themselves at him.

Honestly, I think most kids (including my own) are cute/pretty/handsome! But would I classify my kids as "beauties?" Nah. The are beautiful to me because of their personalities and because I love them, but I know they are not classic beauties and I'm fine with that!

 

[Planogirl]

I think that all young children are beautiful. Mine is just a bit more attractive than yours. (I kid! )

Now many of these children sadly grow up to be ugly adults. When I say that I'm not referring to physical ugliness...

 

[NMAmy]

In all of my 38 years I can honestly say that I have never ever seen an exceptionally beautiful child.

I have never looked at a child and thought, "OMG- they are so beautiful"

Are there really that many exceptionally beautiful children out there because all I have come across are ugly, average and pretty.

I've got 10 years on you and I agree that I have yet to see an exceptionally beautiful child. I guess when I think of exceptional beauty, I think of child actors like Elizabeth Taylor, Natalie Wood, and Brooke Shields. I've yet to meet a kid in real life that rivals any of them.

Of course, I think my own dd is very pretty and she got compliments growing up but I tend to take random comments about looks as something that strangers do occasionally to make conversation. I don't take it as proof that my kid was drop dead gorgeous.

And anytime dd started to get a bit too focused on appearance, I'd tell her, "Pretty fades. Brains last forever. Concentrate your energies on being a smart person and a good person." If I ever meet an exceptionally beautiful child with whom it would be appropriate for me to share advice, that's what I'd tell them, too.

 

[torinsmom]

Definitely teach your kids(beautiful or not) that pretty is as pretty does. Some of the most beautiful/handsome people I have ever met were people I would not want to spend my time with. They were conceited and snobby. We need to help our kids see beyond outward appearances when they look at themselves and others. OP, I think it would have been fine to say the child looked beautiful that day, since she did. You might also comment on her behavior. "You looked so beautiful in the wedding and you did a great job as the flower girl!"

My son has always gotten lots of compliments about his looks. He has an olive skin tone with blue eyes and dimples. Anyway, when he was 3 or 4, a lady came up to me with her 3 children in tow and said "OMG, he is the most beautiful child I have ever seen!" I was so taken aback by that; who says that in front of their own kids(who were also very pretty, BTW)? It bothered me less when someone just mentioned a feature, like his eyes. When people used to ask him where he got his eyes, he would say "Hollywood!" I don't know where he got that from, LOL. He is 16 now, and people commenting on his looks embarrasses him. He doesn't think he is good looking at all, so it definitely doesn't have to make people conceited. And he is a very grounded child too.