It's finally happened. My boys have reached the point that social media has entered their lives. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. It is an interesting idea to know that my boys are reaching out in ways that I did not construct for them. No more calling other parents to get the kids together. They have matured enough to build those bridges on their own. It's really pretty cool.
That brings me to my point. Are those bridges solid enough, safe enough and do they carry the correct information back and forth? I have always raised my sons with the philosophy that I will trust them completely. Do a good enough job as a parent and you shouldn't need to oversee every bit of their lives...right? I know it looks good on paper, but I'm not naive enough to think that it always works. There are just too many outside influences.
Last night my older son reached out to some of his friends via Twitter. The meat of the communication was unimportant. I immediately had the urge to get on Twitter and make sure he and I are following each other. Otherwise, how could I be certain that his activity was appropriate? But then the voice in my head, that irritating ever present voice, spoke up and reminded me that I shouldn't need to do that. He is a very level headed young man and I need to let him stretch out alone. He needs to learn to create solid and increasingly adult paths of communication on his own.
To connect or not to connect, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler on the internet to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous tweets, or take up keyboards against a sea of stalkers and by re-posting their statuses end them.
In the end, I suppose I will have online connections with my boys, but more so because of the wretchedness that could intrude. I optimistically think/hope that I will never have cause to worry about what they are broadcasting. But you just never know who may come knocking....and with what message.
In the end it will be an internal battle that all we parents will face. Have I raised my kids well enough that they have sturdy enough grasp on right and wrong? Have I instilled in them the code that will carry them through life's new pathways without me hovering? Have they earned the freedom I do really want them to have? I think I will say yes to these, while keeping an ear open for sounds of distress.
RALSTON HAS SPOKEN
