Who ever came up with Carfax was brilliant! What a great way to see if the car you are about to purchase is worth the investment.
You can order a report that shows prior accidents, manufacturers defects, recalls and even a recommendation on whether or not this car is a "top-pick."
Imagine what it would be like to be able to pull a report like that for our teen's relationship choices! What accidents have they caused? Are there any known defects under the hood? What is the reputation of the "parent" company?
Doing the research on the student your teen wants to date may not be as easy as getting an online report, but there are certainly many ways to gather information:
1. Facebook or MySpace
2. Other parent's opinions
3. Google their name
You wouldn't want your child to own a car without getting the facts, why would you want them to date that way?
Thoughts?
Lisa j
6 comments:
Hi Mama J,
Great idea! It seems that every kid now has a facebook page and most have a myspace. The facebook seems to be the new myspace. Kids will put a lot of revealing info on this sites. You may even be able to find their parents too. Other parents may certainly have a opinions too. Gene
Gene
I shutter at the thought of my kids dating - then again they are still under the age of 10. I think it's a wonderful idea to have a forum for parents AND teens. Lots of helpful hints. Wish I had them when I was dating! Thanks Lisa.
Has anyone ever researched the origins of Facebook and MySpace before jumping on the social-network bandwagon? As parents, shouldn't we be doing that instead of assuming these things are harmless? Such an exercise ought to be "required reading" for kids and teens before ever signing on and handing over their privacy to, yes, the government, among other lesser predators.
Yes, the Internet can be a great resource. It can also be an enormous "speed trap" for our kids. I know of several moms who are lamenting the dates their teens are picking up from the 'Net. That's what makes me shudder.
Sarah
I am SO glad facebook is open to parents! We have to be careful so they'll continue to be open with us. We MUST be smart with this opportunity so we can guide them. Okay, what about when your (Adult) child is living in New York where there are only Subways and total strangers? How do we find their history?
Lisa, with the advent of visibility via the web, parents now have a great resource for learning something about the friends/dates in their children's lives. Such places as MySpace and FaceBook invite/allow this look. Thank you for pointing parents to this great tool. Love your book. Hope it soon shows up in the homes of every family with children about to enter the dating years.
Judy
You make a great point, Lisa, about doing our homework. I like having the guy or girl hang out with us as well. That tells us a lot. The other useful thing with this is coming alongside our teens and helping THEM look objectively and become critical thinkers in terms of taking in all the "information" they have access to about someone (vs. just how I FEEL when I'm with him/her).
Karen
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