Okay, so I finally had to make a Facebook. I've been resisting because I don't want to get addicted to it and have it be a big time-waster, especially when I have very little time to waste. But I realize that I am in control (right?) and I can check it only when I feel like it and it doesn't have to be every day. Actually, I'm also kind of excited about it because it will give me a chance to connect with people that I haven't been in touch with for a long time. It's fun to see what everyone looks like now and what they are doing in their lives. So it will be a good thing. I feel like I am really part of the modern world now. My kids are thrilled, though only one daughter will friend me. That's okay. The daughter that won't friend me was very eager to help me set it up anyway and to show me around, which was very helpful. It's going to take some getting used to, all those chats and status updates and walls, etc. but it will be fun.
I looked at all of the online gaming sites that we were required to look at, but I didn't sign up to try any of them. I really have no interest in them. I'm sure it's partly my age and where I am in my life, but I have so many other things that I would rather be doing. I can understand why people, especially teenagers, like them, but I feel that they spend too much time playing them and I don't like it when the games are violent. Being in a virtual world for too long can make you forget about the real world and how you should act in it. But as a librarian, it is important for us to know what is out there and how our students are spending their time. I just don't like interacting online with people I don't know and I find it a little bit scary that teenagers are so eager to do that.
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Good post. I am glad your daughter was eager to help. I went on facebook initially to keep up with my son, but I do like having a line to people from my past who have moved away.
ReplyDeleteYou are right that it is not necessary to leap in to gaming, but we do need to be aware of it's charms as well as its pitfalls.
I so think you hit the nail on the head with the issue of playing games with "strangers". Most kids by middle school have had stranger danger, both in person and online, pounded into their heads. It is younger kids who have parents who don't "get it" who I am concerned for. Early education is necessary!