Should parents be Facebook friends with their children?

Harry H. Harrison Jr, Best-Selling Parenting Author, shares advice for parents on whether or not you should be friends with your child on Facebook to keep them safe or to give them privacy
Should You Be Facebook Friends with Your Child?
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Should parents be Facebook friends with their children?

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A question parents have is, do I get involved with Facebook with my son or daughter, should I become friends with them. I think, yes. It is important to know what they are posting on Facebook. It seems intrusive, but you're the parent and you need to know what is going on. You need to explain to your child, here is what is happening in the world of social media. Keep in mind, they've grown up in this world. To them, any kind of picture posted on Facebook is just natural. That's what their friends do, but there are ramifications that they don't understand. The ramifications are having to do with getting accepted into college, getting hired, getting promoted, getting into graduate school, because colleges, employers and graduate schools are going to Facebook pages to see, is this a student we want on campus. Is this an employee that we want to hire? As a parent, you need to monitor their Facebook activities just as you would monitor their TV, their HBO, and their movies. You need to make sure that what is being posted is something they can live with for the next ten years. Digital images have a way of staying around for a long time. They are not going to understand this. They are going to think you are being an overarching parent. They are thinking that they need their independence, but if you are thinking long-term, if you are thinking adulthood, then you have these Facebook conversations and stay on top of what they are posting on Facebook.

Harry H. Harrison Jr, Best-Selling Parenting Author, shares advice for parents on whether or not you should be friends with your child on Facebook to keep them safe or to give them privacy

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Harry H. Harrison Jr.

Best-Selling Parenting Author

Harry Harrison is the New York Times best-selling author of some of the most well known parenting books in the world.  He has appeared on television shows across the country, been interviewed on over 50 national radio programs including NPR, and is a regular contributor to websites like Dr. Laura.com, Sheknows.com, parentingpink.com, storknet.com, and sharecare.com (a collaboration between Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil).

His books aren’t the normal narrative read, but concise, sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant chunks of inspiration and advice that parents read and reread over again. He has also written two eBooks directed towards college students to guide and motivate them to earn a college degree.  Mr. Harrison and his wife, Melissa, have raised two incredible sons.

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