Social Media

Facebook, Twitter, instant chat, texting … Have you ever stopped to think how social networking will affect our children's lives in the future? Will I even know my children's friends, let alone their boyfriends and girlfriends?

When I was young and dating, I had no choice but to give my prospective suitor my home phone number. Not knowing exactly if and when that phone call would come, I would sit and pray that I would be the one to answer— not my mother, brother, sister or heaven forbid my father. But regardless of my prayers, I knew that if the relationship was to progress, it would be discovered by all of my family members relatively quickly. If a boy wanted to speak to me, he would either have to come over or call my house. There was no texting, private cell phone calls, Facebook posts or Twitter messages. When allowed, I was available between the hours of 9am-9:30pm. Say a boy was to venture a 10pm phone call, my parents would intervene and the talk would automatically beginc declairing the lack of respect this young man had to call at such a late hour. Inevitably, those relationships were doomed.

In less than 15 years, our kids could be dating someone for months before we parents even know the person's name. I hope that my children will tell me every aspect of their social lives, but I have a feeling that is not exactly how it's going to be. I am predicting a lot of spying in the future.