I have noticed that many of my favorite bloggers have recently started up Facebook accounts, which is great...but you won't see me there.
Why? Easy. I won't let my kids have myspace or facebook accounts because, well, you see too many horror stories about young teen or even preteen girls hooking up with predators masquerading as fellow teens, or worse, that poor girl in Missouri who committed suicide last year after the MOTHER of one of her classmates played a prank on her, pretended to be an interested boy, and then verbally abused and tormented this poor girl (who the ADULT knew suffered from depression) until she killed herself.
Then there's the issue of cyberbullying, as our dear friend the Mother of This Lot can tell you. Teen-aged girls are vicious and awful enough as it is, and the cowardly anonymity of the internet seems to empower and bring out the worst in them.
Those of you who visit here with any regularity probably find yourselves in the same boat as me, feeling like a dinosaur because you actually teach and insist upon morality and decency in your children...and find so little of that in any of their peers out in the world. Why allow the potential and actual evils of the world into your children's lives via these seemingly "fun" internet sites? They'll see enough of it in due time, and I feel it is my responsibility as a parent to monitor and filter to the best of my ability - not to shelter or keep them in a bubble - but to let them in on the rottenness of humanity in small, controlled doses and at a rate apace with their individual capacity to recognize and - God willing - withstand it.
So - if they aren't allowed to have those accounts, I won't have one either. It's only fair, and it is one small way to lead by example.
For those of you adults reading this who have accounts, I feel fairly certain that you aren't abusers and you're using them for the fun purpose for which they're intended. Just please, PLEASE protect your kids...and if they do have these accounts, check them regularly - i.e., daily. Check out their "friends" regularly, and check out the "friends'" list of "friends" and see where it leads you.
You may be shocked at what you find.
Things that make you wonder?
4 days ago
9 comments:
Kit, 'Holy Chaos' has asked some questions in my comments that I can't answer. Can you go over there and help out?
Thanks
xx
But, Kit - how else can I keep track of skank opposing parties?
Ahhhh yes, well, this is one of those instances where moral relativism is ok. "I'D never have a myspace account but YOU go right ahead, [fill-in-the skank]"
;-)
Tracked Skank gave me a belly laugh recently when she posted a picture of the big, ugly-ass tattoo she got on the back of her neck to cover up the bi, ugly-ass "Craig" tattoo she had placed there about a month ago, because now she's with "Billy."
Presently, her visitation is suspended because she failed to show on time for a drug test and a no-test is considered a dirty test. So does she spend her money to seek a court order to re-establish her visitation rights, or does she spend it on plane tickets to go see "Billy" and a suite at an Indian casino? Hmmmm? What do you think?
LMAO! Body art before children...always a charming choice!
Happy Hepatitis, Skankenstein!
Hey, digi, just out of curiosity, why the heck would these people add you as a friend if they don't "know" you?!
Yeah, that's a good question. Or do they have public profiles?
Kit - I think you're making the right decision. I do have a Facebook account (and a MySpace one, now that I think of it, though I never use it), and it's handy, but when kids come along sometimes you've got to do what's best for them.
Though if I didn't have my Facebook account, I would have no idea that my high school friends are expecting a baby or are working on the Obama campaign... :-p
I've just started facebook. I wont allow the kids to have a page; but then they haven't asked for one either. I will use it to stay in touch with friends-not strangers and I hope I can keep it in check. If not-It goes.
I agree wholeheartedly about keeping an eye on children with technology whether it's computers and MSN etc or phones or just wherever they go.
And I have learned the HARD way sadly-parents need to be very cautious of what families they allow to get close.
Kit:
I agree with your thoughts on Facebook. I just started an account like all my other blogging friends (lemmings?). Seems the fervor has already died down and folks have lost interest. I don't quite undertand the fascination since you can just as easily send an e-mail to friends instead of write on their wall or whatever.
If my kids were older, I would seriously have to consider the Facebook thing, but since they are 2 and 4, I can play around without them asking to have their own page...at least for the meantime :)
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