It’s a double edged sword you soon find out, helping your granddaughter set up a Facebook page. We’ve both waited for this day and like all things having to do with technology, we aren’t quite sure why. We can’t know what the experience will bring, so I haven’t thought beyond seeing her cute little avatar right there on my page of friends. And there it is this morning. I check to see how her page is going.
In a few hours she has half as many “friends” as I’ve gathered in over a year. The following day that count surpasses me. So I make a comment to her and she answers me. “kk” What the H— oh, I mean heck does that mean? Conversations between her and friends are even more cryptic. So much for my solemn promise to her mother to be a watchdog. I don’t know what the * uh, heck they are saying. I have to confess here that I even looked up one word in Google dictionary. They had never heard of it either. And they are techies, so that made me feel as little less like a nodding lady in a rocking chair.
The other thing I didn’t foresee was my own words on my Facebook page. Suddenly I begin to go over in my mind what I might have uttered that I wouldn’t in my granddaughter’s presence. Do you know how long it takes to scroll back to older and older posts? At one point I said, “Wait a minute! You talk pretty much to your grands as you do anyone else.” In fact, some of my little stories and opinions in their presence have evoked a cringe factor from adults. Not “OMG Get her out of here before she sends them down the road to ruin” cringe, just a momentary catching of the breath. That will probably be the worst that will happen with my new “friends.” At least I hope so.
There is another thing on my side. With her friends count approaching Justin Bieber audience size, I really don’t think I’ll have to worry about her reading my posts. kk?
A N H I N G A 
Haha I think your granddaughter is very lucky to have you! 🙂
I say don’t worry because to tell you the truth, I’m only 24 but I have no idea what the 17 year olds are saying when they are talking to each other. They have somehow managed to come up with an entire new language…
So what does kk mean?! 🙂
LOL I have only a vague guess at “kk.” I think it means “ok.” That jives with the intent. Thanks for the props. 🙂
Beda, these kids have their own FB pages by the time they can sit up and type! They have surpassed us oldies but goodies with their knowledge of technology, but we can sit back and now learn from them – Justin Bieber — he looks like he’s still in diapers with that baby face.
I figured out why they are ahead of us. They are so FAST! My eyes can hardly stay with their key strokes let alone their brains. 🙂
My girls went to the Justin Bieber concert and had a ball. They are wearing his bracelets every day, at least Hannah is. She gave me a blow by blow of the concert, including the encore. He knows how to win over a crowd.
lol! I went through a similar thought process when I decided to join Facebook and found myself with teenagers (nieces and nephews) as friends. I tend to watch myself a little (mostly my language, as in not using anything too coarse) because of them.
We are all policing ourselves to a degree, and maybe that’s a good thing. More civility must surely come from that.
The adults are, I think. Or some of them are. But I’ve noticed some of those teens I’m following tend to forget there might be adult relatives looking in. I didn’t think I was easily shocked but sometimes… it comes close.
Very amusing, A!
If it’s any help, there is something called The Urban dictionary that can translate a lot of that stuff. Just be prepared for the risque. Even innocent terms sometimes have multiple definitions.
Thanks, Bud, sounds like exactly what I need since I am supposed to be the hall monitor. 🙂
Oh my gosh. Facebook. It truly should be up there with “alcohol, cigarettes and the like.” Trying to police the students where I work (because Facebook is not allowed at school at any time) at my high school is pure hell!
It is truly a conundrum!!
You are so right about the addictive qualities. I seem to have a tether to FB that draws me back again and again. What did we do with the time the kids now spend on FB & texting? We probably just sat and thought more. But think about that. Where are all those thoughts we had, some perhaps worth preserving? Gone. Now thoughts are a two-step process: 1. think 2. express. I’m not so sure that is all bad.
Coincidentally, I just gave up FB yesterday. I feel very liberated. I still have a profile, and I’ll respond if someone emails through it, but it IS addictive! And there is far too much discussion of politics and unpleasantness for me. I just want to see pictures of the nieces and nephews, posts about family, the success of friends, and funny thoughts. Can I get a rose-colored filter for FB?
The real plan, here, is to spend all the time I would on FB actually writing novels.
Thanks for stopping by. You are a brave one. I don’t have the courage to give up FB right now. FB makes changes constantly, but there is a way to “hide” people or sites from your news page while still retaining them as “friends.” I have done that with quite a few. For a while I even hid a very good author who got way too much into politics for me.
You last sentence hits where it hurts. I have neglected writing for FB and must make changes around here.