Parenting Teenagers: Facebooking Your Child’s Future

All my kids have Facebook accounts, even the 13 year old. If my net attached kids are typical, social networking sites are replacing cell phones as the chosen method of communication. I’ve had to get off the computer so my son could get up with his friend by Facebook to confirm their plans. “Call him.”, said I, the net unsavvy mother. “He won’t answer his phone,” insisted the net attached child. Sure enough, the friend answered neither his land line nor his cell. He was waiting on Facebook to finalize their plans.

As social networks like My Space and the mega-giant Facebook continue their growing domination of  teen communication, parent should be aware that nothing posted on these sites disappears, nothing. It is all being archived. Colleges and future employers  will be and are checking what your child has posted on these sites.

Even if you child doesn’t have a social network account, it is wise to check to make sure nothing is posted in his or her name. One of our children was applying for some ministry opportunities. Unbeknown to him a buddy had set up a Facebook account in his name as a joke. The buddy posted some fake, inappropriate information on the account. The ministry checked Facebook and my son’s opportunities disappeared. Even though he shut down the false account and explained what happened, it didn’t matter. What is posted on social network sites, true or false, is what is, to future college admin. officials and to future employers.

The police are also checking. “The Raleigh News & Observer reported this week that the Facebook photos of another suspect posing with two buddies while brandishing a friend's gun collection led the police to expect to encounter heavily armed resistance during the raid. The police were fortified with weapons in anticipation of coming up against AR-15 firearms they had seen in the photograph.” This incident took place because of two stolen PS3s.

Social networking sites are growing. With cell phones ever expanding internet capacity, social network sites like Facebook, may well take over as the next wave of predominate teen communication. Parents need to start training their teens that what happens on the web, stays on the web. Forever.

Comments

[Amala]

Good one. know more: http://matrimonyxpress.bharatmatrimony.com/2008/06/parenting/practical-advice-for-parenting-teenagers/