• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Fatherhood Factor

For all the "dealings" of dads...

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Guest Post?
  • Review?
  • Stats

Social media

The Social Media Time-Suck: Robbing Creators of their Creativity

April 20, 2011 By Keagan Pearson 5 Comments

As people who create, the time spent producing something is the most valuable thing that we can do.

It takes time and energy.

If that weren’t enough…there is the time that we need to spend promoting our content. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube…they all take something from us.

However, the danger in promoting our content on these platforms is often the unproductive time we spend outside of the actual promotion.

Without too much difficulty, I am sure that you can remember the last time a quick post plug turned in to a forty five minute span of nothingness.

With primary careers, wives and children, the time that we have to create something worthwhile is limited.

So here is a little video encouragement for you.

Keep creating…and make sure to weigh in with your thoughts and suggestions!

Social Media Security and What It Means for Your Kids

September 29, 2010 By Keagan Pearson 1 Comment

In the spirit of practical exercises, think about the last article or blog post you read on the topic of social media.  Regardless of the expertise of the author, it seems that there is always a sense of the unknown just beneath the surface.

The fact of the matter is that social media as we know it is relatively new.  Yes, I have read the theories of social media tracing back to WWII, or more recently, ARPANET, but we are living in a very different age today….regardless of the exact origin.

For most of us, social media became real and integrated into our lives when we set up our Facebook account, tweeted our first tweet, or decided to set up that blog that we thought would make us famous.  As exciting as it was, this is also the time when we opened ourselves and our families to a level of exposure unknown to the “un-famous.”

I will admit that while my daughters are still a little young to be interested in social media, my involvement requires a certain level of diligence.  With a few clicks of the mouse you can find horrific stories of kids being lured into compromising situations.  What once required a lot of work on behalf of some nefarious character, can now be disguised as a harmless friend or relative.

As dads, we need to have a game plan!

Get Out In Front

The worst possible thing any parent can be is reactionary.  This is especially true when we are talking about something of consequence like our kids’ safety.

So plan!  If your children are merely at the cusp of social media involvement then you need to get your mind made up.  Develop talking points around the pitfalls and dangers involved.  Ask yourself what age is appropriate for a Facebook account.  How tight should the security settings be?  What are the rules for accepting “friend requests?”  Will you insist on them “friending” you for a time?

If you are a parent of an existing social media guru…then by all means get going!  You are the parent, but remember that kids do appreciate being part of the solution.  Make sure that they understand your reasoning and then let them take part in setting the parameters.

Setting rules and developing expectations late in the game is going to be challenging but completely doable.

What About Tech Help?

I know what you’re thinking!  “This is good in theory but how can I possibly keep track of all this?”  My answer: rely on the incredibly smart people who do it for a living.

There are several companies that offer technology specifically for the purpose of monitoring online activity.

A few of them are:

  • Safety Web
  • Social Shield
  • Net Nanny

Whether you want to get incredibly detailed or just monitor for harmful interactions, there are products that can help.  If you are like most parents, the easier it is, the more likely we are to take action.

Besides, who doesn’t like a helping hand?

Enhanced by Zemanta

Copyright © 2009–2023 FatherhoodFactor.com · Powered by: LaunchBlot Media, LLC

  • Facebook.
  • Twitter.
  • Instagram.
  • YouTube.
  • LinkedIn.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT