Social media can be perplexing and complicated. Especially since there are so many different social media platforms.

I’ve encouraged my family to use social media as a way to stay connected to my kids. If you have children or grandchildren, you know they’re always glued to their phones and technology.

I was posting something on Facebook recently, glanced through my Crazy Perfect Life page, and that’s when I noticed it. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I almost had to do a double take.

My sweet father had actually gone onto Facebook and “liked” my Crazy Perfect Life Facebook page as well as several of my posts. He was using social media.

I didn’t know what to do.

I was completely taken by surprise. Pleasantly surprised, but surprised just the same.

I’ve only been asking him to check out my Facebook page for MONTHS.

I had to call him.

“Dad,” I asked him, “Are you on Facebook?”

“Yes,” he said. I could hear the smile in his voice.

“I happen to notice you’ve been liking several of my posts.”

“I’m being supportive,” he told me.

“You are,” I answered, “And I’m so glad.”

Social media can be confusing and feel overwhelming.

Once, when we were visiting and Zoe was walking around the house taking pictures of herself with her phone, my father asked me, “What on earth is she doing? Why is she taking pictures of herself?”

I had to explain the “selfie” as well as the Snap Chat social media platform to him the best way I could. Truth be told, I don’t really understand it either. “It’s not for your age,” my kids informed me. They were mortified when I set up Twitter and Instagram. All for Crazy Perfect Life, of course.

When I took Zoe’s phone away recently, and thought I was making it so she couldn’t actually keep up with her social media addiction, I learned she’d found an old iPad and had taken it to school. She couldn’t help but tell me what happened.

“Mom,” She told me, “I was walking around snap-chatting people with the iPad, and several people stopped me and wanted to know what it was. They thought I was using some new iPhone that had just come out.”

We laughed. Now I know when I take away her phone, I also need to take away all electronics. It’s almost too much work.

If your a grandparent, and want to stay connected to your grandchildren, the best way to do it is to use social media. I know you would like nothing more for your grandchildren to call you, but more than likely, they aren’t going to do that. They might not even know how to dial a phone number, but they can face-time, tweet, snap-chat, and do whatever else they know how to do.

If you want to see their pictures, know what’s going on in their lives and stalk them, “friend” them on their social media platforms. It’s not the phone call you want, but it’s what they know and they’ll think you’re a pretty hip grandparent.

As for my Dad, I’ve always know he’s pretty cool.

Find meaning each day,

Dara

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