My kid's new 'hood

Those of you who are my age can remember the neighborhood of long ago. It was its own little world. You played Capture the Flag & Kick the Can with any person you could find on your street. Moms and dads had tons of barbecues and Christmas parties and you hung out with the kids while they celebrated. You had a crush on your best friend's older brother even though he teased you relentlessly. You had the crabby old neighbor who yelled at you for the littlest things like being on her grass.

My kids don't have this physical world - this microcosm of society. Sure we have neighbors and some parties but not on same scale as years before. Sure they know two or three kids on the street and they play occasionally but everyone is on an organized team so there is little free time. Most neighbors drive into their garages and shut the doors. Facebook has become their new virtual 'hood.

I let my daughter & son sign up for Facebook last year. Their first few friends were my sisters and some of my closer friends whom they call "aunt so & so". Most of the people they communicate with there are their immediate friends but they also have friended their friend's siblings. They have even friended a few dogs & cats too.

I like this because they can't sign on and make in appropriate comments. My sisters or my friends comment back much like my crabby neighbor did years ago on my street! They play games constantly with these people like Tonk. They even exist in a virtual world called YoVille. This is not Kick the Can or the annual Labor Day block party but it works. (Again, my sister and my friend do these games and virtual worlds too. There are spies everywhere!)

I know Facebook is not the best place for everyone but I am happy to know my kids are part of something even if it is on the computer. (You will be happy to know they do see and communicate with everyone in real life too.) It is a place for them to go though where they can be a part of the happenings of the everyday. It is a community for them where there are the old and the young, close frieends and acquaintances. I believe, they will learn some valuable lessons here from these people. They may not learn to stay off Mrs. Crabby's grass but they will learn how to say "Happy Birthday" to those that count or understand that the crush on your friend's older sibling isn't so great when you see the real person by the comments that are left behind.

The irony of Facebook, for sure, is that you are never face to face physically with anyone. However, you can never get out of anyone's face. (unless you "unfriend" them.) You have deal with the people in your 'hood and learn how to be a decent and good human being to co-exist there. Isn't that what we want in our 'hoods?