Social Media
Social Media is often vilified. It takes you away from paying attention to your child's every need; it takes you away from paying attention to your husband's every want; etc. etc. etc. But for me, it opens the doors to a network of people I would never know otherwise.
I have "mom" friends, adoptive and bio, from all over the world I would not know without social media. These friends, most of whom I have never met, provide an invaluable service. When any of us struggle with the latest behavior issue of our children, we put up a post on Facebook and get instant supportive feedback on what has worked for others. If our child is struggling with a medical issue from cancer to a hive, there we are, ready to lend a supporting hand even if it's just a comment that we are here and offering virtual support. The weight that takes off of our shoulders to have that network behind us is indescribable. If we are struggling with how to parent, there they are ready to lend a hand without judgment on our own parenting methods. My "virtual" friends laugh with me, they bitch with me, they share my concerns, they are there. They are real people with real lives and real concerns and I share them. I may only know them virtually, but I know them. I know about the struggles of their children; I know about the struggles that they face on a daily basis; I know about their triumphs; I know what drives them crazy. I may not look them in the eye, but they are my friends.
In addition to the "mom" friends, a new world has opened up to me in the last couple of days involving the group of people that have hypophosphatasia in their lives. I am getting a whole new set of social media friends that I never knew were out there. I have met a handful of people who are dealing with some type of dwarfism (from what we can tell HPP does result in a type dwarfism) and I have met one mom who has a child with HPP. It's spectacular the community that is out there and open to us because of social media.
I get to follow adoption stories from the beginning and see the beautiful pictures of united families; I get to see families go through a cancer diagnosis and come out the other side stronger; I even got to see the most beautiful love story blossom right before my eyes; I get to see families - beautiful, multi-cultural families come to life on my newsfeed. I wouldn't trade that or give it up for anything in the world. It does not take away from my life. It enriches my life.
What's your view?
I have "mom" friends, adoptive and bio, from all over the world I would not know without social media. These friends, most of whom I have never met, provide an invaluable service. When any of us struggle with the latest behavior issue of our children, we put up a post on Facebook and get instant supportive feedback on what has worked for others. If our child is struggling with a medical issue from cancer to a hive, there we are, ready to lend a supporting hand even if it's just a comment that we are here and offering virtual support. The weight that takes off of our shoulders to have that network behind us is indescribable. If we are struggling with how to parent, there they are ready to lend a hand without judgment on our own parenting methods. My "virtual" friends laugh with me, they bitch with me, they share my concerns, they are there. They are real people with real lives and real concerns and I share them. I may only know them virtually, but I know them. I know about the struggles of their children; I know about the struggles that they face on a daily basis; I know about their triumphs; I know what drives them crazy. I may not look them in the eye, but they are my friends.
In addition to the "mom" friends, a new world has opened up to me in the last couple of days involving the group of people that have hypophosphatasia in their lives. I am getting a whole new set of social media friends that I never knew were out there. I have met a handful of people who are dealing with some type of dwarfism (from what we can tell HPP does result in a type dwarfism) and I have met one mom who has a child with HPP. It's spectacular the community that is out there and open to us because of social media.
I get to follow adoption stories from the beginning and see the beautiful pictures of united families; I get to see families go through a cancer diagnosis and come out the other side stronger; I even got to see the most beautiful love story blossom right before my eyes; I get to see families - beautiful, multi-cultural families come to life on my newsfeed. I wouldn't trade that or give it up for anything in the world. It does not take away from my life. It enriches my life.
What's your view?
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