A software developer has released a browser extension that swaps out any baby images on Facebook with cats (or anything else the user prefers). Called Unbaby.me, the plug-in is described by its maker, a Chris Baker, as “a (Google Chrome) extension that deletes babies from your newsfeed permanently––by replacing them with awesome stuff”, adding in its 3-step process that “now you don’t have to look at all your friends’ annoying kids”.
Are you that friend?
The underlying issue stems from how easy it is to share your life online. Having a baby is an exciting thing, and mothers love nothing more than to publicly mark their child’s milestones through words and pictures. But by doing so, are you irritating your friends? The release of Unbaby.me has dug up a deep resentment in an ever-connected world, creating a potential point of conflict between happy parents and their childless friends.
This resentment is only one of many. Some restaurants and cafes have policies in place to restrict patrons from bringing young children into their premises. Malaysia Airlines has banned infants from traveling in their first-class cabins. Even parents get discriminated at work.
Discrimination against children (and their parents) is certainly developing, and as the argument heats up, everyone is playing the blame game. Non-parents push the blame on parents for being overly protective and their children for being undisciplined, while parents either don’t see the problem or call on the other side’s insensitivity.
Can’t we all just get along?
The truth is, parenting is a struggle that’s unique to only the parent and his or her child. There are situations where even other parents might feel inclined to chide another parent to “Control your child!” It may take a generous helping of understanding to know what a parent is going through or why a child is behaving in such a manner, but until we figure out how to live with each other civilly, apps like Unbaby.me are just the tip of the iceberg in the war between parents and non-parents.
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