Facebook – The Ultimate Parenting Tool

shutterstock_59224768Remember the good old days, when we would leave the house for the day and the only thing our parents new about our whereabouts was what we told them? Facebook and other social media is making that behavior obsolete. Now, the only thing that we parents need to do to keep dibs on our children is hop online. Kids today can’t stop themselves from documenting their every move – even the illegal ones.

An Oregon teenager was surprised on New Years Day when police showed up at his door to arrest him and charge him with “two counts of failing to perform the duties of a driver.” They were alerted to illegal behavior by a Facebook post he had made about driving drunk. His status update read, “Drivin drunk… classsic 😉 but to whoever’s vehicle i hit i am sorry. :P.”

Many idiots have performed criminal acts only to leave traces on Facebook. This leads me to believe that our kids will probably do the same with their lesser teen infractions. I know a lot of people think it’s nosy to examine your teens Facebook page – and they are right. But if my child is as devious as I was and the Internet can help me keep tabs on him, I say “hallelujah technology!”

I think it’s important to trust our children and raise them to know the difference between right and wrong. I also think it’s important to teach them that they live in a digital age, where every move they document on social media can be seen and tracked. Yes,  when my son gets older I will be checking to see the type of stuff he posts on social media, thank you very much. If that makes me a nosy mother – so be it.

Parents are the ultimate checks and balances system for their teens. If we turn a blind eye to all the ways life has changed and will continue to change in our increasingly digital age, we’re not doing anyone any favors. The world is scarier now than it was when I was a kid. I’m sure my mother felt the same way.

She was right.

(photo: 1000 Words/ Shutterstock.com)

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