3 Reasons to Friend Your Mom
Two years ago, I made my mom her first Facebook profile. She reluctantly used it for a day before forgetting the password and making no attempt to recover it. Like taking your first steps, I realized I had to wait for her to embrace the idea.
Now, she has the app on all her devices and loves to “like.” As a young woman who just scratched 22, my peers often ask questions like why would you want your mom as a Facebook friend? What if she sees your posts or comments on your wall? After really thinking about it and tired of not having a concise answer, I decided to compile my key points as to why I want my mom to be my friend on Facebook.
1. Public Image Protection
You had a great weekend with friends and Monday morning, photos of how awesome it was start to emerge. You realize a photo was taken that makes you a bit uncomfortable. Your friend’s comments and likes make you feel like maybe it isn’t such a bad picture. Then mom tells you what you need to hear. Don’t allow yourself to be portrayed in any way that could possibly ruin your image. You never know where that photo could end up or how someone will perceive it. Mom has your back, always.
2. Future Employment Adviser
This is really an extension of #1. Comments, posts, pages you like, and the company you keep. Employers are looking at more than just your resume nowadays. They want to see who you are outside of the workplace. Are you going to insult the business or talk about how horrible your boss is? Are your status updates fit for a soap opera script? Remember that page you liked as a joke 3 years ago but forgot about? Or that person you accepted a friend request from whose profile picture may not be that tasteful? Well your potential employer will see it all. But before they do, maybe your mom would have kept them from it. She might have found that page or told you that social media may not be the best place to post everything you feel. She is not telling you to not be yourself; she wants everyone else to see you as the awesome person you really are.
3. Keep in Touch
This is the most obvious reason to friend anyone. Since moving away from home, I have found that I really miss sharing aspects of my life with my mom. Facebook makes both of us feel like we are not missing out on each other’s lives. If I post that I am going to the movies with my friends, she is sure to comment “have fun!” Maybe I talk about how well I did on an exam and it earns me a “you go, girl!. Keeping in touch has never been easier so don’t make it harder by limiting your methods.
Even after my reasons, friending you mom may still seem like a not so great idea. Maybe you are not ready for your mom to see parts of your life displayed on Facebook or just need some personal space. Facebook may only give you confirm and deny options but a middle ground is possible. Perhaps you would feel better asking her not to post photos on your behalf or friending your friends. Communicate what you would want your Facebook friendship to be. But if she sent you a request, think about what it means to her before ignoring it.