Say what you will about Facebook’s Skynet-esque takeover of all things internet, but at least it’s opened the door for more good old fashioned child-bragging. It just makes my day to see that my family has written some adorable comment about a photo or story I post. A “that’s my boy” or “my, you’re getting so handsome” does wonders for my self-esteem, and for that one digital second it feels like they’re here with me, giving me a pat on the back.
I mean, as parents, I can only imagine that you want to stay connected to your kids’ lives. This can be difficult when us kids grow up, leave for college, study abroad, and move into tiny apartments in big cities far away. You probably won’t see each other every day. Or every month. Suddenly there comes a time when you see your kid maybe two or three times each year.
Before Facebook, there was e-mail. Some of us still use e-mail.
But there’s something immediate and social about Facebook that makes it more appealing. You can’t brag about your kid’s new girlfriend, or your kid’s college acceptance, or your kid’s third-place swimming trophy in an e-mail. Who will ever see it? No, now that we have Facebook, we can post a comment and have it seen by many. This is bragging on a global scale.
I reckon Facebook is akin to the barbershops of yore, when men gathered to have their beards shaved with razors and share tales about their sons and daughters, off braving the real world, occasionally asking for help with money. Or perhaps Facebook is like the playground where the adults sit on the benches, commenting about their children to other parents, while the kids fumble about in the jungle-gym of life.
Johnny made a cool sandcastle. Like.
Sally took an artsy photo of the see-saw. Like.
I love the connection we’re allowed through Facebook, as disconnected as it seems. I agree that the lack of verbal communication is detrimental to society, but no one’s stopping us from picking up the phone every once in a while. Facebook is just quicker. It’s good for other things, like photos, videos, brief life updates, and everything in between.
And one day, when Facebook becomes self-aware and initiates Judgement Day, we’ll regret we gave it this much power over our lives. But in the meantime, like on, parents.
Like on.
THOUSAND THOUGHTS 
Well my dear, you pegged it beautifully. We geeky parents will find any way to worm our way into your lives, usually 3 steps behind technology, OR so proud we’re using a new social gadget, we’re unaware of how to navigate the subtle social landminds, so we step on them constantly. Like, “LIKING” everything you adorable people do in life !!!
As a new parent what I do is get my mom to post pics of my baby. That way it doesn’t look like I’m the one bragging but credit still comes to me when the photo gets comments and likes 🙂
That’s clever. They’ll thank you later.