Of Internet and Kids.

It is entirely normal for us to constantly want to check for updates on our Twitter and FB. That is mainly the reason why push email and real time updates or refresh rates being deployed on these platforms.

I've noticed lately that all of these online platforms have also came up with page statistics and review reports; how many weekly hits that your page is getting and etc; and some more, in chart forms. This is some sort of a process that validates your existence in the virtual world. Telling you that you are noticed, attractive (in many sense there is), and most importantly, your net worth online - your value.

The number of hits, or even RTs, you are getting is directly proportionate to how "famous" you are. This sort of endless validation process; and the fact that it actually makes you feel significant, and that you matter; is what keeps these social platforms going strong.

It is scary to think that my nieces, nephew, cousins growing up having developed a fixation to attract people to validate their existential being. I don't want them to have so much of false confidence that borderlines arrogance. I don't want them to think that their constant crave for attention is a good thing.I don't want them to be online, just because every one else is.

Until now, I am able to sway myself off the virtual temptations every now and then. To be able to fall back to books or even the idiot box, is  liberating. I don't have the need to refresh the pages to know what's new and what's hot. Although sometimes, I do feel that I was missing something good that was happening when I was not checking, but immediately after the next refresh rate, all that feeling was gone.

I'm not saying that this social platform is a bad thing. But how do you limit these teenagers? I'm always at the crossroads when trying to decide whether they can use my computer or my tab whenever they come over. I want them to feel that I'm trusting them with internet, but I don't want them to feel that, they just "HAVE" to access the internet whenever they have the chance.

God, the conflict of having to deal with growing up kids and teenagers and I have many of them too. The cousins, the nephew, the nieces.