Recently, an email came from a family member in Queensland warning of the terrible conduct of my daughters on Facebook. I was horrified. Facebook is not my thing and I have never opened it.
In my New Years resolutions I have undertaken to have a face book account. I will find a photo of a 20 year old heart-throb and be surrounded by young women all over the world. Does Justin Bieber have a little brother? (joke). Either that or I will shave off my white beard.
But the warning from Queensland did motivate me to a round table discussion with 14 and 13 year old daughters and their mobile phones put on the table.
I did know many of their photos were taken by their dad. These were sweet photos of head and shoulders. My daughters are becoming most attractive.
They showed me some photos of their 20 year old 13 year old girl friends. Some were hot. I think I may have a little chat with their parents.
My kids showed me Facebook conversations. All were polite and friendly. They explained to me that if some one wants to talk dirty, then there will be dirty responses. If they are friendly and polite, that will be the response.
Some photos were of older men who were polite and lived on the other side of the world. I am not really worried about Facebook. My daughters have been schooled in stranger danger for years.
What would you do if a man came to the school and said your father was in hospital and had sent him to get you? I would ring on mobile phone. I would talk to my teacher. I would not go with him. I would ring Aunty Serah.
What would you do if a car stopped on the road and wanted to take you home? Dad, I would be with my school friends. I would run away. I would go into a house of any friend.
My elder daughter has experienced that twice in the last year. Men have wanted her to get into a car. But it is nothing to do with Facebook. She was on her way to the shop and was rescued by neighbourhood men long before she was taken.
My children in Australia and Papua New Guinea have long known that they do not give family details to strangers in the street, in cars, at the school and on the phone. Strangers have to have sinister motives for wanting to know their names, where they live, where their parents work, what school they go to or where they work.
Small children should never have their names on the back of their school bag or on their clothes. Hullo .... Susan. Do you remember me? I am your daddy's brother. That makes me your uncle. I have come to take you to your house.
So Facebook is an extension of all that. My elder daughter had a male from Sri Lanka expressing undying love. But she ended up blocking him. He could not keep his story straight. He had loved too many 13 year olds on Facebook and forgot his story.
Another from America wanted to come to marry her. But she handled that one too. Properly handled Facebook is a treasure trove on dealing with people.
Girls may wanna tell lies. But they are learning through Facebook to see through the lies of others.
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