Facebook in Real Life
A group of
students were hanging out in my office laughing and talking in my office one
morning – a pretty normal occurrence. As one of the students walked out, he
said, “Man, this is like facebook in real life!”
students were hanging out in my office laughing and talking in my office one
morning – a pretty normal occurrence. As one of the students walked out, he
said, “Man, this is like facebook in real life!”
This
generation is so wired, so connected technologically that many are lacking in
social skills. When I was in school, if the teacher finished early, we were
quick to chat with our friends. This generation’s default seems to be to grab
their phones or ipods.
generation is so wired, so connected technologically that many are lacking in
social skills. When I was in school, if the teacher finished early, we were
quick to chat with our friends. This generation’s default seems to be to grab
their phones or ipods.
As a mom, I
want to help my daughter to find balance when it comes to technology, but this
is easier said than done. I’d love to hear from some of you about what you are
doing to help your children balance social media with “real life.”
want to help my daughter to find balance when it comes to technology, but this
is easier said than done. I’d love to hear from some of you about what you are
doing to help your children balance social media with “real life.”
We have a mantra around our house and goes like this
"people are more important than technology devices" And if someone walks in the room and speaks to you that person will always be more important than what you're doing on your ipod so lift your head out of your tech. device, make eye contact and show respect by speaking. Of course I have to preach to myself because when the kids are talking and speaking and my head stays down texting then I'm not practicing what I'm preaching. It's a hard balance because the fact of the matter there is a person on the other end of that device and relationship is in the process but too many times it's at the cost of a live person standing by waiting to be spoken to or noticed. Tough stuff.
I make my daughter pay the monthly bill for her phone. I like it because she is never at the mercy of someone else to get in touch with me. When she is at someone's house, we have a code word. All she has to do is text it to me and I know to go get her. I will take the fall for getting her out of a situation in which she does not feel safe or comfortable. Luckily, this has never happened. I am very selective about whose house she visits. But it is comforting to me to know that I can get a hold of my kid whenever, wherever she is.
We have some criteria in our house for what we allow first it must pass these three requirements:
1. Is it immoral?
2. Is it unhealthy?
3. Is it potentially life threatening?
If it is not one of those three things, I usually allow it. However, if it involves a monetary exchange, the breakdown goes like this:
1. Is it educational or do I see some longstanding value in it? If yes, then I will pay for it. If not…we move on to #2.
2. Does it have some educational or longstanding value for the kid but I could go either way? If yes, I often offer to pay for half. The kid has to pay for the other half.
3. If it passes the first test but I do not see much value in it, then the kid must pay for it by their self.
My daughter had to get an increase in her allowance in order to pay for her phone. She had to submit a proposal and convince me that she deserved an increase. She took on more responsibility and I upped her allowance from $5 per week to $8. Her $20 per month phone bill eats up most of that. I feel like this is preparing her for a world where she may have to ask for a raise.
Anyway, this is what is working for us.