Hard Conversations About Showing Your Kids Online [episode 8]

Written By Jessica Garza

Listen to Own Your Online Presence on:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice

Internet Safety and Rural Business: Navigating Kids Online When You're the Face of Your Brand

Note: This blog post addresses sensitive topics related to child safety online. The information shared comes from professional experience and is meant to be educational.

The rise of social media has created unique challenges for business owners who are also parents. As rural entrepreneurs who often build businesses around our families and lifestyles, we frequently face decisions about how much of our children's lives to share online. It's a topic that's becoming increasingly discussed among content creators, with many announcing they'll no longer show their children's faces online.

In this episode of The Workhorse Podcast, Kendall and I tackled this difficult but crucial conversation. With my background as a former detective specializing in Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), I brought a perspective that combines both professional expertise and personal experience as a mom who does share her children online.

"I really wanted that conversation to come out in a way that took the stigma away from it," I explained, reflecting on why I occasionally share aspects of my law enforcement background. "I watched so many families struggle with the shame attached to child sex abuse, with the shame that it happened in their family. I watched moms struggle with the shame that they didn't keep their children safe."

One of the most important points we discussed is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this issue. Every family has different circumstances, risk factors, and comfort levels. For Kendall, navigating this decision included considerations around her stepchildren, respect for their biological mother's input, and the unique challenges of being a meat producer in an area with active animal rights protesters.

"I had to take it as the lens of how do I keep these kids safe from that?" Kendall shared. "As well as like just safe in general. But for me, my most likely would be safe from that scenario."

For many rural business owners, the struggle is finding the balance between authentic storytelling and privacy. We often hear advice to "show up authentically" and "tell your story," which can create pressure to include our children in our content. But as Kendall pointed out, "You do not owe anybody that. And you can still portray that you were a parent without showing your kids."

When it comes to sharing children online, we discussed several approaches parents take - from covering faces with emojis to capturing content that naturally doesn't reveal identifying features. Based on my experience investigating these cases, some approaches can actually draw more attention than others, potentially having the opposite effect of what's intended. We also talked about timing considerations and how sharing in real-time can create safety issues, particularly if locations are identifiable through things like school uniforms or recognizable backgrounds.

Perhaps the most important fact I shared from my years of experience is this: "Your child is much more likely to be hurt by someone you know. Full stop." This reality means that while online safety is important, where your children are and who they're with in real life should be your primary safety concern.

For me, this understanding shapes my approach. "I'm much more worried about where my kids are at physically, who has access to them physically," I explained. "It doesn't bother me when someone walks up in Costco and is like, 'Oh my gosh, are you Moose Valley Ranch? I love watching.' And my kids are standing there with me, and they say hi, and they know their names."

This doesn't mean I'm cavalier about online safety. We've established clear boundaries with our children, including safe words and expectations. Coming from a law enforcement background where "the bad guy already knew my name" and "the bad guy already knew where I lived," we developed safety protocols early on.

If you're wrestling with how much of your family to share online, start with these considerations:

  1. What is your specific situation? Consider your business type, location, and potential risks.

  2. What are the ages of your children and their ability to consent?

  3. What do both parents/guardians feel comfortable with?

  4. What safety conversations and protocols have you established with your children?

Remember that thinking about these issues already puts you ahead of many. "If you are thinking about your kids' safety, you are years ahead or percentages ahead of the general population," I noted. "Just by listening to this episode, I think, is what I'm trying to say. Just by listening, just by tuning in, just by taking that, sticking with us through a disclaimer of how hard this is."

There are no perfect answers to these questions, and your approach may evolve over time. What matters is that you're making intentional decisions based on your family's unique circumstances rather than following trends or giving in to pressure to "show up" in ways that don't align with your values.

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode of The Workhorse Podcast!

In this episode, "Hard Conversations On Showing Your Kids Online," you'll get both perspectives:

Jessica's Point: "I'm much more worried about where my kids are at physically, who has access to them physically. We have conversations all the time about situational awareness. Pull your head up. Watch what you're doing. Watch what's happening around you."

Kendall's Point: "I knew the risk of showing my kid in his school uniform. I know that risk. And I had shared a video of Jagger at his football game. And a little bit later at the game, a customer found us because of that post. It was a cute elderly couple, but it could have been somebody with not as good intentions."

Resources & Links:

Resources & Links:

Connect with Kendall:

Connect with Jessica:

Related Episodes: 

Welcome to The Workhorse Podcast, where we dig deep into the grit, passion, and strategy behind building a successful rural business. Hosted by Kendall Ballantine of Central Park Farms and Jessica Garza of Moose Valley Ranch, this podcast is for hardworking female farmers and rural entrepreneurs who are ready to turn their dreams into thriving businesses.

From marketing your business online and direct-to-consumer strategies to balancing farm family life and business growth, we’re here to give you practical tools, candid insights, and a healthy dose of community support. This is for the doers, the women who scale their business during the long trips to town, the workhorses. 

If you’re looking to dive even deeper into our community, check out The Workhorse Collective, a growing group of rural women entrepreneurs. 

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! 

Jessica Garza
Next

Where’s The Tipping Point: Going All In on Your Business [episode 7]