Facebook 'friends' send angry letter to oversharing mum

An Australian mother recieved an angry letter for oversharing updates of her daughter on Facebook. Photo / Thinkstock

Proud parents bragging about their little darling's every move on Facebook is a regular annoyance for many people using the social network.

But one Australian woman got so sick of her friend's constant updates about her baby daughter that she wrote her a scathing letter demanding the mother stop - claiming she is 'p*****g a lot of people off'.

Jade Ruthven, 33, was so upset by the "poison pen" note that she got her own back by forwarding it onto comedian Em Rusciano - who shared it with her thousands of followers on social media.

The incredible printed letter, littered with expletives and exclamation marks, starts with the anonymous author saying they had got together with 'a few of the girls' to say they are "SO OVER" the running commentary of Ms Ruthven's life with her young baby daughter Addison.

It adds: "Look we all have kids that we are besotted with - guess what - every parent thinks their child is the best. But we don't ram it down everyone else's neck!!!

She wears a new outfit - well take a photo and send it PRIVATELY to the person who gave it to her - not to everyone!!!

She crawls off the mat - we DON'T care!!!!! She's 6 months old - BIG DEAL!!!

Stop and think - if every mother posted all that c**p about their kid - I'm sure you'd get over it pretty quickly,

We can't wait for you to get back to work - maybe you won't have time to be on Facebook quite so much."

After saying they think the offending child is "gorgeous" and they "love her", the writer continues - adding that Ms Ruthven is "p*****g a lot of people off".

"We all thought it might ease off after the first month, but it hasn't", it adds.

"Not everyone is as interested as you are about what [deleted] does so give us all a break.

"We're doing this to let you know what people really think."

For Ms Ruthven the letter came completely out of the blue and was like a slap in the face, particularly as she is a first-time mother trying to find her feet.

"I was actually excited when I checked the mail and saw a hand written envelope thinking it was an invite. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect what was in it!" Jade told Daily Mail Australia.

"At first I was in shock and thought this letter must be a joke. I read it and re-read it about four times.

"I was shaking with anger and shock to think a so call friend of mine could be so heartless and gutless to not even sign their name."

The dental hygienist still doesn't know who was responsible for the letter. Jade can't think why anybody would feel the need to be so nasty.

"To be honest I have no idea why anyone would do this to me. I don't think I have had an enemy in my whole life," Jade told Daily Mail Australia.

"My husband Ryan was just as angry as me but we soon decided to laugh it off as a bad joke.

"These people clearly have too much time on their hands to sit and chat about my Facebook usage. It's quite sad really."

The cruel nature of the letter spurred Jade to stand up for herself. She refused to bow down to the bullies, particularly when she released how damaging this kind of behaviour can be.

"To have someone do this to me, in truth, makes me feel sick," said Jade.

"Lucky for me I am a strong, healthy person. Being a first time mum is hard enough to get your head around but for someone who was feeling alone or who was struggling with the challenges of motherhood this could have had terrible consequences."

"But it takes a lot more to keep me down than a nasty letter!'

However, Jade wants the coward author to know their nasty act has not brought her down. She has also vowed to continue to post photos of her treasured baby.

"No way did I feel self-conscious or consider changing my online activity," laughs Jade.

"That's how I think this person/people can't be that close to me.

"If they were they would know I would never take this lying down, start crying in the corner and then take myself off Facebook."

Jade says the attempt to shame and isolate her has "backfired", as she is "feeling more loved and supported than ever".

"The support I have received from family, friends and even total strangers has blown me away."

Comedian Em Rusciano wrote an 870-word opinion piece about the letter for Australian website news.com.au, after Jade sent it to her through Facebook.

Questioning why the offended women didn't just speak to Jade or unfollow her on Facebook, Ms Rusciano said: "It's not like she busted into their houses armed with life-size portraits of her child dressed as a tiny adorable pumpkin and demand that they be hung on every wall.

"Obviously in some people's opinion she's been overdoing it on the proud mother moments.

"Annoying, yes. Worthy of an anonymous poison pen situation, no."

Ms Rusciano added the "mean" letter represents the "Holy Trinity" of anxiety.

"It attacked her mothering, her self-perspective and probably left her feeling as though all her friends had turned on her," she wrote.

"It honestly doesn't feel as though 'the girls' just wanted Jade to change a particular behaviour, it feels as though they wanted her to feel c**p about herself.

"If this were me I would have felt ambushed, alone and obsessed with finding out who 'the girls' actually were so I may understand their motivation better."

- Daily Mail