Why I’ll Never Post My Grandkids Online Again - And How I Still Make Money from Home

We’ve all been told in the online business world: “Sell your lifestyle.”

Show the good life. Share the travel. Post the pool days, the kitchen table work sessions, the camping trips, the family moments.

And for years, I believed it. I did it. I taught it.
It felt normal. It felt like “this is just what we do” in network marketing, direct selling and affiliate marketing ect.. because every training, every upline, every so-called marketing guru told us that lifestyle was the shortcut to Black Friday sales.

But one day — a single text message — made me stop in my tracks.

When Marketing Crosses the Line: The Conversation That Changed How I Do Business

I wasn’t sure I’d ever share this publicly. But it’s been two years… and with my daughter’s blessing, here we go.

This one’s sat heavy on my heart for a long time. And maybe, just maybe, someone else needs to hear it. (I can’t be the only woman on the planet who’s been here 😳)

Two years ago, I did what I’d been taught to do.
I snapped a beautiful photo with my grandson — my daughter glowing with motherhood, my husband "Pappa Bob" soaking up the joy of tiny giggles and playful romps… and me? Proud. Beaming. Joyous. In full grandma bliss.

And like so many of us who learned from network marketing uplines, team calls, and “success blueprint” trainings — I was told to leverage my lifestyle on social media. So I posted it.

The caption might have read something like:

📸 “So grateful to make money from home while spending the day at the splash pool with my grandbabies!”
🍼 “This is what it’s all about… sweet commissions dropping while holding babies just as sweet!”
🎉 “Ding ding goes the payment notification while I’m at the birthday party!”

You get the picture. We’ve all seen it. Heck, many of us have done it — the soccer field post, the Christmas recital post, the November campfire post, the Thanksgiving kitchen table post… paired with a money-making, connection-building caption.

Except that day, my phone buzzed again on the drive home. But it wasn’t another sale.

It was a message from my daughter:
“Mom, stop using my kids as your marketing tools. 🛑 Stop leveraging them, using them to promote your business. Please don’t post their photos again without asking.”

My stomach dropped. My hands went cold on the steering wheel. My heart pounded in my chest and then cracked open. I felt everything all at once — embarrassed, defensive, ashamed, confused… and so deeply sad.

After a long pause and a big breath, I realized: she was right. 100% right.

I meant well. (Don’t we all?) I wanted to share a life I was proud of. To connect. To inspire. To show the flexibility and joy of making money online. But it crossed a line I didn’t see… until she pointed it out.

And here’s what really stunned me:
NO ONE talks about this. Not in network marketing. Not in affiliate training. Not in “how to make extra money online” webinars I've ever attended in the ten plus years I've been in the earning online space.

Yet so many of us are taught to “live out loud” and “sell your lifestyle.” Leverage "life".. But at what cost?

My Heart Sank

My face beet red, embarrassed. waves of sadness & a shame so deep I felt sick to my stomach..

I felt it all. ALL the feelings.

I had meant well — of course I had. My intention was to share a life I was proud of. That I worked hard at in this industry. To inspire. To connect. To empower. To encourage. To show that yes, you can make money from home without missing the best moments of life has to offer. Never having to ask our boss for a day off. Never miss "anything" that we don't want too!

We’re told to “live out loud” and “share your lifestyle” to build the know, like, trust factor.

But at what cost?

Here’s the truth no one puts on the slides:
Our lifestyle isn’t just ours when it includes other people.

Those family members — especially kids — have a right to privacy.
Even if you’ve been taught that “authenticity” means showing it all.

But intention doesn’t erase impact.

She was right.
I had crossed a line I didn’t see… until she pointed it out.

What My Daughter Said Changed Everything

I quickly removed ALL and any photos of her, my grand babies, even of my son from social that I could find quickly.. it was months and months later when I brought up the topic again..

I asked her, “Okay, so what does ‘better’ look like to you?”

She said something so simple, so powerful, I wish every online business owner could hear it:

“Just ask. Have the conversation first.”

Ask before you post.
Ask before you share a story.
Ask before you use someone else’s moment to sell your own dream and add that inspiration of a promise, hope into another woman's heart of making money from home.

How to Share Your Story Without Crossing Lines

You can still show your personality, passion, and even your day-to-day — without putting someone else’s childhood, privacy, or boundaries on display.

Here are respectful, creative ways to keep your marketing real:

✅ Use symbolic images – coffee mugs, sunsets, nature walks, hands typing, seasonal Thanksgiving décor.
✅ Tell the story without the photo – describe the moment in words that paint the picture.
✅ Stage a “lookalike” moment – use stock photos or re-create scenes without using the actual people involved.
✅ Feature yourself in action – working on your laptop in a fall sweater, walking with your dog, baking those Christmas sugar cookies.
✅ Use metaphors – the splash of water in a pool to represent joy, a close-up of autumn leaves for change, a candle for peace.

Why This Matters Right Now

We’re in the season of falling leaves & fresh starts.
Gratitude season is here, and with it comes reflection — not just on what we’ve built, but how we’ve built it.

If you’re tired of feeling like success online means posting every private detail… it’s time to rewrite the rules. ~ Hello the Faceless marketing you see online. (You and I know we could go wayyy deeper with the world, AI, and children's privacy online, but that's a whole different blog.)

There are so many ways to make money online without endless social media hustle, algorithm chasing, or blurring, potentially hurting your family’s boundaries:

• Digital marketing with automated systems that keep working while you’re living your life.
• High-profit offers that let you enjoy Thanksgiving dinners, holiday shopping, and even a slow morning with your coffee without missing sales.
• Flexible hours so you can step into Black Friday sales and shopping season prepared instead of burnt out.

Because the truth is, the best ways to make extra money online are the ones that give you peace and profit. Hello bliss and bless!

My Promise Moving Forward

When my dad was alive, he used to say, “If you mess up, raise your hand. Own it.”

So here’s my raised hand moment.

I messed up.
I learned.
I’m doing better.

And I’m committed to building my business in a way that honors:

• Respect
• Integrity
• Alignment with my values
• The relationships that matter most

Because this isn’t just about me.
It’s about us — you and I, the women building income streams from home, trying to do it in a way that works for our life, not against it.

Your Sunny Side Is Waiting

So as we step into the Black Friday buzz and that beautiful bridge into the new year, maybe this is your nudge:

To rethink how you share.
To realign how you sell.
To remember that your worth — and your income — isn’t measured by how much of your life you put online.

You can make money online from home without sacrificing your boundaries or your relationships.

And if you’re ready to explore how to make extra money online with automated systems, flexible hours, and offers that feel good to sell — even in Q4 chaos — I’ve got a plan and a blog to help you get there. (or win bigger in the business you love to much right now! 😉)

Because the best income streams aren’t just profitable.
They’re peaceful.
They let you end this year feeling aligned, not drained.
And they carry you into January already in motion.

Your sunny side is waiting. Let’s make the shift together.

🌻Cheers and Chat soon, Roxanne
☀️ See you on the Sunny Side of Life

✨ RELATED READS:

• Ditch the “Hey Girl” .. How to Make Extra Money from Home Without Spammy DM's
• How Women Over 40 Are Earning $75 a Day Writing Letters
• The Truth About Waving Wads of "Money Posts" on Social Media
• How to Discover & Embrace Your Inner Unicorn  (Find Your Voice)

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