Mothers’ self-representations and representations of childhood on social media

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine mothers’ social media accounts that focus on children’s fashion. authors probed fashion photo practices as representations the extended self and kind childhood produced by accounts. They also investigated perceptions privacy when engaging in sharenting – sharing information about children or parenting online. Design/methodology/approach study based 16 semi-structured interviews with Finnish mothers who had Instagram focusing Findings Children’s photos play a diverse role identity work. can be used express mother’s taste aesthetic skills, values, fit into peer groups store memories oneself children. Through photos, prevailing ideals, such authenticity, naturalness playfulness, are reproduced. perceived part their justified mother- child-centered arguments. Originality/value shedding light photography, provides insights how commercialism shape cultural expectations for both motherhood childhood. contributes previous research sharenting, extending it context photography.