The complete guide to parents’ social media etiquette
‘Thanks for the pictures, hope all is going well. LOL’
Parents and relatives on social media can be extremely cute but also a complete and utter nightmare.
There was once this person who commented on everything I posted on Facebook (“The Facebook,” as she calls it) until one day I told her, very nicely, that it was kind of a pain. A week later the comments stopped but I always got one furtive like. When I saw her next she said to me: “See! I don’t comment on your things anymore. I like it and then quickly close the computer!” Cuteness level: 100 percent. But this is not always the case, so here is an illustrated guide of proper adult social media etiquette.
Abbreviations and acronyms ![]()
Some parents are into overusing abbreviations. So sometimes you get a “sweetie lemme kno wen 2 pick u up, ttyl.” Apparently it’s a way for them to demonstrate that they’re still hella hip, and there is absolutely no problem with them writing like they are 12.
Others love acronyms. Let’s analyze this precious comment above. Apparently the subject in question has not realized Facebook is a place where you share your pictures with all your friends and don’t send them to one in particular! And lastly, prepare yourself ladies and gents, because LOL does not mean “lots of love,” it means “laughing out loud.”
Typos
I hope you had fun at my party too! Sometimes they just write something in very good faith but it just turns out completely wrong. So, just like you told us a trillion times when we were kids to check our spelling, please teach what ya preach!
HA! I caught you, you little rascal!
Turns out some of us youngsters have a social life and status to maintain. The LAST thing you should do is reprimand them on freaking Facebook. Send them a private message, a WhatsApp or whatever but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not bestow your weirdness upon your child because although he or she might have dealt with it until now, it is definitely not cool for their friends to see that. Also, Skype and FaceTime are two completely different applications.
The present time
Dear Sir or Madam, we are no longer in the 1970s. Please refrain from using words like “groovy.”
Hashtags
#OneIsEnough #PleaseStopUsingHashtagsAllTheTime #ItsReallyTooMuch #YoureNotAsCoolAsYouThink
Just plain weird
There’s always one relative who shares ALL your posts and pictures. Please stop! I know you love me, but it’s very creepy.