Love you mom - but stay off Facebook

Tech Tuesday

Several times this year, my mom has made the comment that maybe she should get a Facebook page, too. She gets a kick out of seeing our feeds when we leave them up on her computer and was surprised at the number of relatives and past aquaintances she might have access to. 

"I don't know what I'd say", she says. 

Well, mom, you figure that out pretty quickly. I almost took the decision out of her hands entirely and made it for her. After the third or fourth time I heard her clicking away on her computer in our old office, obviously reading the main Yahoo! page before checking her email, and heard her voice float out - 'so-and-so died'. Yeah mom. I read that this morning already. 

You guessed it. On Facebook.

So what's stopped me? Well, let's face it. I'm on Facebook... and I'd have to 'friend' her. 

I love my mom, I really do. It's a bit different though, when your only regular contact with someone is the random thought posted online across the miles. She lives with me here, in our home. For me, my Facebook is an outlet. A place to post things I don't talk about at length in my home simply because no one really cares. And when I do, it's not as if she's going to want to re-read about it right?

Of course, not having her on my Facebook also means I can vent. And I can only vent on Facebook about other people who are not. Common courtesy and all.

Kids and parents may get older, but the dynamics don't change much. At least not mine. I am sure that one day I will help her get a Facebook page, friend her and be happy to do it. After all, it's not as if I'm the only person out there and even though my only child complex says otherwise - it's not actually all about me. 

Until then though, I'll hold onto my little corner of the technology world where I can be silly and stupid and sometimes caring and hopefully, occasionally, insightful. I'll keep it mine, untouched by all the other stuff in my life for now. At least, untouched by my mom. 

Photo courtesy of Colorado State Library on Flickr

Comments

[maviyan]

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