You Become Who You Spend Time With

Growing up in the Hewlett house, my dad was full of wisdom and powerful quotes.....and we were constantly reminded of it! Back then it was a bit of a pain, but now I am thankful for all that I learned from him. A couple statements he loved included: "Remember who's you are" and "You become who you spend time with." Mom, dad, grandparents, it is so important that we be closely involved in the lives of our children. We need to know their friends, real and virtual. In my youth, all my friends were real. If you had 'Virtual' friends, it meant they existed in your head, and then you were a little strange! Today 'virtual' friends and relationships are all over. Maybe through text, facebook, blogs or myriad other social media sources.
"You become who you spend time with" takes on a much expanded meaning for todays children. Dr. Bob Barnes wrote in a recent blog post: "Comments, as well as, pictures/videos that are posted can damage their future. Even comments that friends make on their pages reflect who they are." I encourage you to read his entire entry, and invest time in thinking about how you can both protect and grow your child in this age of social media and virtual friends.

http://parentingtoday.org/index.php/parenting/social-networking-and-your-childs-reputation/