Social Networking

You know my first time I realized the problem of "social networking"?
My son was 16 or 17....he had a girl over to the house to watch a movie. I was in the room at the start, and as the movie began, to my total shock and disbelief, they began to text.  "TO WHO? I thought.
You are on a date!! Why and who are you texting....I watched them both, they glanced at the movie...they glanced at each other, and they continued to glance at their phones!! OMG   WTF   I was confused. Why do you want to talk to someone else...you are on a date....sigh, I was (and still am) confused.

I know what social networking is (I think). No...actually I don't. Let's face it, social networking is something different to every age group. And that is,  in fact, the problem. When I was 10...it was simple. I had two choices if I wanted to "interact" with my friends. Dial their phone number and talk to them, or walk to their house and say hi. That was "social networking"
We would go to the park and "hang out" - I guess that is what 10 year olds do today... but they do it on facebook. They actually hang out on Facebook. That is so difficult for my brain to comprehend. How do you hang out, with a group..when you are actually by yourself. Weird. Strange. Awkward.
This topic has been beaten to death. It is not new....but, i am going to mention it again. Here is my frustration.

• No matter what I say....think...discuss...etc. Kids today not only will disagree with me....they will actually (and this really hurts) they don't really even care. What!!!?? That's right. They don't care.
• I am not sure of the "cut off age" do you? In other words...what is the age that gets it.....and what is the age that does not? What is that number? I know this for sure. I am 53. I get it. My youngest daughter is 14, she does not get it. What is the median age? I really want to know this. Here is the thing. I know this for sure. People behind a keyboard are braver than people face to face. People say things over the Internet, that they otherwise would never say. (me for example, ha.)...but we all know it....if you say something to someone over the Internet, it might me misconstrued...if you say something to someone face to face....it is usually very clear. Am I right?
• face to face is the hardest, most rewarding, most difficult, most fulfilling conversation you will ever have. I know this to be true. Some of you know this to be true. Those of you that don't know this....i feel bad, because I don't know how to make you understand.

If you have comments on this blog, I would love to here them. Really. Any age.

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