Social Parenting - a reason to connect!

I have been preaching to parents for more than 2 years about why they need to "at least" understand how Facebook and Twitter work because their children do! The typical response of those parents is "I'm do busy for that nonsense or they are too busy managing their "own" online social life to notice/care/or be concerned with what their children are doing. I've even had some dismiss my concerns because they think I'm being overly dramatic or that I'm not qualified to speak about the "parenting" process because I'm not a parent myself. Sadly I know that the child-birthing process alone is not the ideal credential for being a good parent.

For more than 6 months I have been following a several young people on twitter. These young people appear to be in the 15 to 24 year old range. I randomly dropping into their "public" Twitter timelines to read their tweets - one 17yr old girl is particularly disturbing to me. She has posted about parties, her desire for sex partners, need for drugs, lack of attention in school and even cheating on homework/tests. Additionally, I have watched "adult" women pursue college age athletes and attempt to engage with with provocative photos and language.

This is a tweet from a 17 year referring to a conversation she had with her mom. Somehow I don't think her mom would have recalled the chat this way.

As an experienced Social Media professional, my advice to parents - the stakes have never been higher to protect your children and the young people in your life. Facebook and Twitter may not be "your" thing and you may "think" you are too busy but their futures depend on you invest some time in a "lean forward" moment. Get connected, if not for you...for them!