Is it Wrong when YouTubers use Their Kids in Videos?

[Dadrules]

I totally agree! My son also asked to have a channel after he started watching other kids. I wasn't sure about it at first, and neither was my husband but we decided it would be fun. We had a long hiatus during the late summer and fall because we were busy with our photography business and my son kept begging to do a video so we got back into the swing of things. He doesn't even care too much about watching the videos, he wants other kids to. He LOVES the process of making the videos. He gets to play with a toy or game, and we just record it. We do everything else.

To address some comments above, there are no "blistering lights" and working "for hours". With the videos we make, unless I am documenting an experience like trips and such (which in that case, it doesn't even matter- everyone is just doing what they would normally do), our shooting time is like 30 minutes tops. If my son decided or acted like he was done during a shoot, we'd be done. Also, a lot of people who use lights in the kid videos most likely use LED (as we do) and they do not get hot at all. If they did, I would find an alternative and Im sure other parents would too.

Oh of course there is plenty who will and do keep the best interest of the child at heart but are you really that 100% sure that the steps you take are taken by every single parent who's doing this ?. I have watched videos with kids in where they are commentating on the toys them selves and don't get any word wrong or have normal child hiccups, even adults do so it is obvious these videos have been re taken and re taken until said video is perfect to script. I have even heard 5 year old speak words in which they could not possibly understand the meaning of, so its is obvious these have been scripted and placed in the child's mouth so to speak. Millions could put their hands up and say yes i do everything to protect my child but it takes one that doesn't, only one for me to say ban it

When you say they don't work for hours, yours my not but its is obvious from some videos that some do. Its a legal obligation of adverts or modelling company's to provide on set guidance in these matters and have breaks according to health guidelines and so on. I doubt homes and parents have these on set at home, so why should they be allowed to do this yet advert companies and modelling agencies not.

Family videos and normal activities being recorded and then placed on you tube like a family Vlog is far different from making your child stand in one spot for half an hour looking at a camera commenting on toys in my opinion. Does make me laugh this topic to be honest , its like every parent on you tube is being sensible and every parent cant ever be a bad one , simply so they can justify why they too make videos of kids to gain money. Words like "lot" or most is not everyone and its my opinion that if one child is, just one out of millions is being used in an un-healthy way then it should be banned or they should have to pay for proper health licences. There's no " most, " or a lot or maybe 90% are being good parents. Its take one for me to see it as bad for kids and i can guarantee there is at least one person on you tube using their children in an un - healthy way to grow their bank account.

Its our job to protect kids, not say well i'm not doing it and im pretty sure others aren't so lets leave it ok so the bad ones can do it. There is a simple way to solve it , make these videos pay for proper health licences or simply do not have the kids in the videos.

Just my opinion

 

[wickisworld]

Of course I can't speak for others, and I have seen some children in videos who clearly have no interest in doing it (& hopefully parents recognize that and give up), but the only thing I or anyone can do is hope that everyone has their kids best interest at heart- for videos and in every other way in life. I just wanted to comment on the generalizations because I'm sure plenty of parents are trying to do things as positively as they can for their children. At least, I hope they do.

 

[Dadrules]

Oh yeah totally agree, 90% do it with the best interest and to be honest its a tough one to dabate on. i can imagine however that making a video with a child is pretty dam stressful at times and even people working in this industry 247 days a week struggle with it. Parents generally make the most awful managers so to speak for obvious reasons. I could stick my 3 lovely girls in my videos , have them talking all sweet and nice a cute and have subs flock to my channel, but would it be morally correct ? not for me i guess. But yeah i totally see what you was saying all we can do is hope parents do focus on the child in the vids like you say.

Good luck with your channel anyhow
all the best
dadrules

 

[wickisworld]

i can imagine however that making a video with a child is pretty dam stressful at times and even people working in this industry 247 days a week struggle with it. Parents generally make the most awful managers so to speak for obvious reasons.

Well for us, it hasn't gotten to that point because it's just been fun, the second it becomes too stressful for anyone, the point of our channel would be compromised! I do understand and appreciate your concerns, I have thought about a lot of these things in the past. We just determined that the pros currently outweigh the cons for us. That may change in the future, who knows. Just trying to take it day by day!

Good luck with your channel anyhow
all the best
dadrules

Thank you, same to you!

 

[DayaVera]

I used to be a big fan of the shaytards and I liked that one time princesstard said she did;t want to be filmed at the moment, and Shay turn the camera away, no remorse, not being pushy. I'm fine with kids being in the videos as long as they want to. And when they don't want to, do not push them.

 

[DayaVera]

it isn't fine when the parents use sexual innuendo's in titles or thumbnails, basically attracting sexually motivated views, sex sells as they say.
so sneaky, cheeky little words that can suggest more then the topic at hand, sneaky thumbs with what could be interpreted sexual like girl, mouth open about to put food in mouth, basic sexual exploitation that we see adults doing on the cover of p**n mag's, parents do to their children's video thumbnails.
perverse way to get views and exploit an un-aware child, just wait until them children grow up and see the thumbs as adults.

I won't go into those bath time video's, what a terrible invasion of a childs privacy, they don't understand the concept of being made public property.

I like the approach of Leapfrog Music, he did a cover for Sia Elastic heart and he re-created the video with his daughter. She has a bathing suit with shorts under it and the way he filmed everything was very careful of not looking sexual. It was SO CUTE!

 

[pouchkids]

Think if the kids are having a good time filming, why not?great way for parents and kids to do something creative together. I have seen some videos that look forced and the kids look like they have been made to reread a script a few times and seem bored by this. But generally speaking most parents like showing off their kids from what I have seen on FB.

 

[clerick]

Yeah, and it's horrible how spoiled the children will grow up due to it. Parents selling out their futures for money now.

 

[pioneer1]

If the kids enjoy it and they want to do it then there is no problem having a YouTube channel and making videos.

It will be great for family fun and bonding.

 

[DAVE_UK]

We have a Gaming channel, when I say we it's myself, my partner & more importantly my 12 year old daughter.
My daughter loves being a part of the channel, its boosted her confidence 1000% she used to be so quiet with others and now she has come out of her shell. She even would like to have her own channel.
I constantly ask her if she wants to continue with youtube as I never want her to feel forced. She loves it and I love having something that I can do with my family.