How To Grow Your Geek: Parenting and More!

Hi Guys,
As some of you already know, I no longer have a Facebook page. It wasn’t them, it was something Dad and Jenny decided was best for me. So i wanted to talk about that and parents in general. Because I think it’s important and maybe help my younger followers.

First off, let me say Facebook was cool and fun. But there were things going on I didn’t know about until later. See, once you put yourself out on the internet, and you’re young like us. It’s going attract bad people and creeps. I was totally locked down, only people I added was people we know. And dad says I still got like six or seven people trying to follow me that he said looked very scary. (That was weekly.)

So when they disabled it, it was because they were doing a random age check, to see how old I am and asking a lot of questions. They were super nice, but the more information they wanted, the more dad and Jenny was like this is not a good idea.(She never liked me to have one, now I understand more why.)  So they sat me down and explained things to me and why they felt it was a good idea for me to not have one any longer. At first I admit, I wanted to fight back and say I want to keep it. I mean I gave up the forums, now this? But I am always thinking of you guys, so I agreed it was best I just have Twitter and my journal. People still try to follow me on twitter, but only been two so far.

Susie called me a role model. I still don’t feel like I am, I am always just me and do what I feel is good and right and what dad and Jenny say of course. But I can’t just think of myself if I am a role model, I have to think of others. I want you guys to have fun, but I want you guys to be safe too.

So I hope I can give you some tips on the internet and also talk about not getting everything you might want and why that’s a good thing.

First off, our parents have the hardest job ever. I mean think about it for a second. No one knows how to raise us kids, I mean there is just no manual, no one person that has all the answers, no web site to go to. When Dad first adopted me he sat me down and said, I have no idea what I am doing. I never raised a kid before, so you are going to have to help me out here. Don’t be afraid to come to me with anything and never be afraid to tell me anything. Together we can make this work. And know what? We have been doing that ever since. Now Jenny is the same way, she never had kids before. All she ever had was a sister. So she has a different approach with me. We are like sister’s sorta, but she can punish me and yell if needed so she’s still the mom. So I guess parenting is really a lot of guess work. That’s what Grandpa tells me, you fall back on how you were raised by your parents, and you try things to see what works.

So we have to help them out by obeying them and trying to be good. Not always easy, but that’s growing up. Everyone makes mistakes, they did; so we will too. And surprise, parents know that. Sometimes they even tell you they made the same mistakes.

Okay getting back to the facebook thing. I love the internet, I use it a lot for research on books and movies and in school. I love to look stuff up. I also like to play games on popcap, play Champions on Line and send emails. The internet is huge and fun. But because it is huge, it comes with a lot of danger as well. As you already read above. And I got a email from a adult that said they got people trying to follow them that scares them as well.

So bottom line? Even if your friends at school has it, or your best friends? I’d say stay away from it. Just because something looks cool and shiny, doesn’t make it so.  Just too many weirdos out there. I don’t want to scare you guys, but maybe I do a bit too. I want to be honest most of all.

If you get on the internet, ALWAYS have a adult or parent around. And if anything makes you feel bad or uncomfortable let them know! RIGHT THEN.

And listen, if you have friends you just GOT to talk to; call them up or go visit. If they live somewhere else, email. (I email a lot!)

Our parents have a hard job, and they might tell us no or make us do stuff we don’t like. But they do it all because they love us and want us safe.

Love you guys, I’ll do my best to be a good role model for ya.

Darcy