Plenty has been written about the dilemma of embarrassed kids whose stodgy parents befriend them on Facebook. But much more disturbing are the Facebook-fanatical parents who forget that their own children are privy to every snide comment and raunchy picture they post.
Parents are bragging online about their weekend partying, complete with photos of themselves boozing it up and hanging all over complete strangers or sometimes even stripper poles. They’re buying rounds of cyber cocktails for their friends via Facebook apps.
Little Suzy reads that Mom thinks her dad is a low-life asshole and that she thinks her life overall is complete shit. Little Bobby follows his dad’s conversation about all the hot bitches he’s hooked up with.
Who knows, maybe these people speak and act this way right in front of their kids too. But I suspect that when even these parents are in the same room with their children they censor themselves at least a little bit. On Facebook however they seem to fall victim to a sort of peer pressure that persuades them to put their worst selves on display to try to impress their so-called friends.
Parents want to be Facebook friends with their children so they can monitor who they’re talking to and what they’re saying. But a consequence of that cyber relationship is that the kids can monitor their parents as well. Apparently this light bulb hasn’t come on yet for a good many parents.
If you wouldn’t say it to your kid at home then please don’t say it anywhere on Facebook. If you wouldn’t put it in your family photo album then please don’t display it on Facebook. And if you’re not a parent, please remember that I am and don’t post any of that crap on my wall.
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