The Addiction of Social Networking

So I'm convinced that things like spellchecker are tools created by the illuminatti to dumb down society among other things (like the calculator). Okay, it may not be that serious but we can not deny the affect these tiny "tools" have had on our intellect. I will admit that if batteries nor solar power ever ceased to exist, I would no longer be able to confidently do payroll. As far as spellchecker is concerned, many of us would totally be online judging how uneducated we all look as we type words like probably and inconvenient incorrectly. There would be no one to save us from our lack of knowledge and we'd be left with shortening all of our words for the sake of not looking dumb... oh we already do that though don't we?

Anyhow, so with the travesty of us already being hidden waist deep in online illiteracy, we have social networking. These wonderful platforms have unfortunately fueled the online illiteracy epidemic, yet, it's been the dawn of a new era which has (like t.v. reality shows) taken many from no one to someone - if you get enough likes and follows. Social networks like Facebook, Twitter and the like, are suppose to help get us closer to the people we care for and reunite with old "friends" and distant family. However, as a now single mother who has increased my network searching, I have found these sites serve as something more; distraction. Sure, it's cool to see how people are getting along in their day, reading/posting cute encouraging messages and viewing people's pics as they open up their personal lives. However, while we are getting more personal with those across the country or neighborhood, the temptation to go overboard with the network surfing is inevitable. Like Youtube or Google, you begin searching for one thing but end up online for hours watching much of nothing that is vital to our existence. Sure, I may have learned how to shop or spend more wisely, gotten a deeper understanding to using the keys to kingdom living in the Lord and even learned a few survival techniques to help me and my children when the New World Order takes shape (for my conspiracy theory family - hehe), but what have my children learned? I suppose they learn whatever it is they are watching on the t.v. Disney is their teacher.

So lets just be real here and recognize our priorities. While we are so busy encouraging others on the www, who is encouraging the future generations sitting in their bedrooms playing alone or set in front of that darned television? I do suppose while we are on our electronic devices that you could simply place a leap pad in front of your tot playing educational games (quite the momentary solution). Sure, we give them their time, education, and love which we are gratefully obligated, but why give them the bare minimum? The truth is that our kids (even if they don't fully know), want us; our attention, guidance and positively productive interaction. I understand working online and online college education; that's not what I'm talking about here. When it comes to social networking, lets keep it to the bare minimum for those of us with immediate household families or spouses. Lets spend that time focusing in on family prosperity. Enriching our internal network in the home and becoming the "someone" getting all the "likes" and "follows"... from our own children. I must ask - Do your own children "like" and "follow" you?