blended-familyetiquettesingle-parent
What's photo etiquette for blended families at splash pads?
Quick answer
Take group photos that include all kids equally — no obvious bio-only shots posted to social media. Get co-parent permission before posting any kid photos, especially step-kids whose other bio-parent may not have agreed. When in doubt, take photos but don't post.
Blended-family photo etiquette is more sensitive than non-blended families realize. Bio-parents of step-kids often have strong feelings about which photos appear online and where. Best practice: (1) Get advance written agreement with the kid's other bio-parent about social media posting. (2) Take group shots that include all kids equally — avoid the 'just my bio-kid' frame that can land hurtful when seen by the step-kid later. (3) Don't tag step-kids by name without explicit permission. (4) Skip face-front close-ups of step-kids on public accounts. (5) If you're posting, caption it to include everyone — 'a fun day with the whole crew' beats listing names selectively. (6) Some co-parenting agreements explicitly forbid social media posting — check yours. (7) Print photos for the kids' rooms freely; restrict the digital posting to private albums. The splash pad is a great photo backdrop, but the relationships at home matter more than the post.