Distant relatives may ask for photographs, updates and video calls because they want to feel involved. Answering everyone separately can become a surprising amount of work. Choose a way to share that the household can maintain without making the child's daily life into a stream of reports.
A small private group, an occasional email or a shared album may be enough. Consider who can access it, what the service allows others to download or forward, and whether you are comfortable with those possibilities. Private settings reduce some exposure but do not make redistribution impossible.
You might share a few pictures when convenient rather than promising a daily update. Tell relatives that a quiet period usually means the household is busy, not that they have been excluded. Another adult can take responsibility for sending updates if that genuinely removes work rather than requiring you to select and caption everything first.
Share ordinary news as well as milestones. A favorite book or a new outing can give relatives something to talk about without turning development into a schedule of achievements. Avoid comparisons with other children or claims that one new skill predicts what comes next.
For video calls, choose a realistic window and keep expectations modest. A young child may look away, move around or prefer to watch. The call does not need to become a performance of songs and tricks. End or shorten it when the timing no longer works.
Say whether pictures may be forwarded or posted publicly. Ask relatives to check before sharing, and avoid including identifying details you do not want circulated. As children become able to express preferences, involve them in decisions about their images and stories.
If someone wants more contact, suggest a particular alternative that suits you, such as a short call on another day. You can appreciate their interest without accepting a schedule that is difficult to maintain. The arrangement is working when it supports a relationship and leaves the household enough attention for the life being shared.