Facebook Investigation: Do Your Parents Just Have Facebook to Brag About You?
With the influx of parents recently on Facebook, one may wonder, “why do adults even need Facebook?” As a 21 year old student in college, my whole family is on Facebook. I first activated my Facebook my sophomore year of high school in 2008 because all of my older friends were graduating high school and I wanted to keep up with them while they were away at college. At first, the only friends I had on there were my friends that went away to college, and some friends from my high school. Now that it is 2013, five years later my Facebook friend list has grown immensely, and not with people of my age. My Facebook friend list has grown with adults, meaning, my mom, aunts, uncles, great aunts, great uncles, my friends parents, my friend’s aunts and uncles, and so on. Facebook allows for people to post a status, character free, unlike Twitter where you are limited to one hundred and forty characters. Facebook also allows for people to post albums of pictures, comment on other friend’s walls, and “like”said status updates or pictures. The rise of social media use is something that we cannot argue about because its popularity is something that keeps getting greater by the day. With adults on Facebook, one may notice that they love to post many statuses about their children, post pictures of their
children, and“check in” when they are out with their children. What I want to prove through my Social Media Investigation is that these adults are just on Facebook to brag about their children.
The research for my investigation was gathered from Facebook. My research contains five people, four females and one male, and they are all parents. All of these parents are over the age of forty. Being over the age of forty you may not think that these adults have much active use on Facebook, but through my investigation I was surely corrected. The data collected consisted of ten Facebook status updates from each candidate for my research totaling for a total of fifty status updates for my data collection. After collecting and analyzing these status updates from these adults, I realized that all of themposted status updates about their children and their accomplishments, bragging about their children, or something having to do with their children. This led me to my research argument that all adults are only on Facebook to brag about their children.
In “School’s Out; Parental Bragging is Still In” by authors Gina Gallagher and Patricia Konjoian they say, “It's
Brag-A-Palooza -- that time of the year when social networking sites are flooded with photos of rainbow prom displays, college scholarship announcements, graduation pictures, and in some cases, actual scans of perfect report cards. There’s no question; parental pride is in the air. And on Facebook. Twitter. Four Square. Pinterest. Transit busses. Blah. Blah. Blah”(Gallagher/ Konjoian,
1). With my research, I learned that all of the candidates that I analyzed posted a Facebook status about how well their children were doing in school, whether it was elementary school, high school, or college. In one Facebook status it said “Erica passed her last Praxis test!! Graduation May 2014J” (Nelms, Data Collection). This status update is just one example of how parents use Facebook as a way to brag and showcase their children’s accomplishments.
The idea that many parents are only on Facebook to brag about their children may be a generalization, but I do believe that that is all they do on their social media sites. These status updates are viewable by all of their friends and makes them think that their friends really want a status update of how “great” their child is every other day. In “Beware the Parental Over share” CNN interviewed blogger Blair Koenig on her most recent blog, “STFU Parents.” In the interview, Koenig states, “I had no idea back then just how
much parents truly over share about their kids” (CNN Living Staff, 1). From all of the data that I collected, though not all of them had to do with their children, a good deal of them mentioned their children and in some way were bragging about them; for example,
“So proud of my daughter and her friends! When they could be doing what college kids do on a Friday night they are helping raise money for cancer research” (Nelms, Data Collection). While this Facebook status update had good intentions to congratulate her daughter for not drinking on a Friday night, the whole Facebook community did not need to hear about the bragging of her child doing Relay for Life. Another example is, “Proud of Sierra! Always plays hard and gives 100%! Now next year we are going
to aim high to reach that 1000 point mark! Love you! Now let’s get ready for track!” (Nelms, Data Collection). This is another prime example of a status update that had all good intentions of congratulating their child, but it is just over share, as CNN writes.
The whole Facebook world does not need to know how great your child is in basketball and how sporty they are because they are
also doing track, and they especially do not want to hear about it all in one status. What people do not realize is that there may be parents on their Facebook that have children with special needs. For these parents, reading these statuses can be difficult. In some way these statuses are reminders of milestones their children may never achieve. That status update could have easily
been said to her child in a conversation in their house telling her how proud she was, instead of simultaneously congratulating her via Facebook as well as bragging about her to all of her Facebook friends.
In the CNN Interview Koenig says “I consider ‘over share’ anything a person probably should have kept to themselves” (CNN Living Staff, 1). Out of all of the fifty Facebook statuses that I collected, not one person did not brag about their children on their status, or “over share” as blogger Blair Koenig calls it in the CNN interview. From analyzing the statuses there were few statuses about every things in life such as working, or just general status updates. The majority of these statuses were bragging about their children. It seems like these parents almost use Facebook to showcase to the world that their children are great. Another status that highlights this argument is “My baby made the Dean’s List!! I am so very proud of her. Keep up the excellent work” (Nelms, Data Collection). This status update is a prime example of the “over share” that we see on social networking sites. This research candidate easily could have congratulated her daughter in their household or even through a text message or phone call since she is away at college, but instead there was a status made so the whole Facebook community knew that her daughter made the Dean’s list, proving my argument that adults use their Facebook to brag about their children.
In the CNN Interview, Koenig says, “There are two kinds of people on social media: those who post too much information and
those who don't. The ones who do aren't in the habit of considering their ‘audience’ when they post. They just see social media as a digital scrapbook of their lives”(CNN Living Staff, 1). Their audience is their Facebook friends that may be younger, those parents of special needs children, and their children and their friends. All of the tweets that I gathered for my research are not considering their“audience” when they are posting these statuses about their children. They are simply posting them without realizing that the whole Facebook world is seeing those statuses as annoying.
Adults use Facebook as a way to brag about their children. After researching, it seems as if the only thing that these adults post about on their status is their children, and every status is about their accomplishments. These adults need to know when they are “over sharing” and when it is too much for the Facebook world.
Works Cited
CNN Living Staff, & Koenig, B. (2013, April 2). Beware the Parental Overshare.
Retrieved April 27, 2013, from CNN Living website:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/02/living/overshare-stfu-parents
Gallagher, G., & Konjoian, P. (2012, June 25). School's Out; Parental Bragging's Still
In. Retrieved April 27, 2013, from Psychology Today website:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shut-about-your-perfect-kid/201206/schools-out-parental-braggings-still-in
children, and“check in” when they are out with their children. What I want to prove through my Social Media Investigation is that these adults are just on Facebook to brag about their children.
The research for my investigation was gathered from Facebook. My research contains five people, four females and one male, and they are all parents. All of these parents are over the age of forty. Being over the age of forty you may not think that these adults have much active use on Facebook, but through my investigation I was surely corrected. The data collected consisted of ten Facebook status updates from each candidate for my research totaling for a total of fifty status updates for my data collection. After collecting and analyzing these status updates from these adults, I realized that all of themposted status updates about their children and their accomplishments, bragging about their children, or something having to do with their children. This led me to my research argument that all adults are only on Facebook to brag about their children.
In “School’s Out; Parental Bragging is Still In” by authors Gina Gallagher and Patricia Konjoian they say, “It's
Brag-A-Palooza -- that time of the year when social networking sites are flooded with photos of rainbow prom displays, college scholarship announcements, graduation pictures, and in some cases, actual scans of perfect report cards. There’s no question; parental pride is in the air. And on Facebook. Twitter. Four Square. Pinterest. Transit busses. Blah. Blah. Blah”(Gallagher/ Konjoian,
1). With my research, I learned that all of the candidates that I analyzed posted a Facebook status about how well their children were doing in school, whether it was elementary school, high school, or college. In one Facebook status it said “Erica passed her last Praxis test!! Graduation May 2014J” (Nelms, Data Collection). This status update is just one example of how parents use Facebook as a way to brag and showcase their children’s accomplishments.
The idea that many parents are only on Facebook to brag about their children may be a generalization, but I do believe that that is all they do on their social media sites. These status updates are viewable by all of their friends and makes them think that their friends really want a status update of how “great” their child is every other day. In “Beware the Parental Over share” CNN interviewed blogger Blair Koenig on her most recent blog, “STFU Parents.” In the interview, Koenig states, “I had no idea back then just how
much parents truly over share about their kids” (CNN Living Staff, 1). From all of the data that I collected, though not all of them had to do with their children, a good deal of them mentioned their children and in some way were bragging about them; for example,
“So proud of my daughter and her friends! When they could be doing what college kids do on a Friday night they are helping raise money for cancer research” (Nelms, Data Collection). While this Facebook status update had good intentions to congratulate her daughter for not drinking on a Friday night, the whole Facebook community did not need to hear about the bragging of her child doing Relay for Life. Another example is, “Proud of Sierra! Always plays hard and gives 100%! Now next year we are going
to aim high to reach that 1000 point mark! Love you! Now let’s get ready for track!” (Nelms, Data Collection). This is another prime example of a status update that had all good intentions of congratulating their child, but it is just over share, as CNN writes.
The whole Facebook world does not need to know how great your child is in basketball and how sporty they are because they are
also doing track, and they especially do not want to hear about it all in one status. What people do not realize is that there may be parents on their Facebook that have children with special needs. For these parents, reading these statuses can be difficult. In some way these statuses are reminders of milestones their children may never achieve. That status update could have easily
been said to her child in a conversation in their house telling her how proud she was, instead of simultaneously congratulating her via Facebook as well as bragging about her to all of her Facebook friends.
In the CNN Interview Koenig says “I consider ‘over share’ anything a person probably should have kept to themselves” (CNN Living Staff, 1). Out of all of the fifty Facebook statuses that I collected, not one person did not brag about their children on their status, or “over share” as blogger Blair Koenig calls it in the CNN interview. From analyzing the statuses there were few statuses about every things in life such as working, or just general status updates. The majority of these statuses were bragging about their children. It seems like these parents almost use Facebook to showcase to the world that their children are great. Another status that highlights this argument is “My baby made the Dean’s List!! I am so very proud of her. Keep up the excellent work” (Nelms, Data Collection). This status update is a prime example of the “over share” that we see on social networking sites. This research candidate easily could have congratulated her daughter in their household or even through a text message or phone call since she is away at college, but instead there was a status made so the whole Facebook community knew that her daughter made the Dean’s list, proving my argument that adults use their Facebook to brag about their children.
In the CNN Interview, Koenig says, “There are two kinds of people on social media: those who post too much information and
those who don't. The ones who do aren't in the habit of considering their ‘audience’ when they post. They just see social media as a digital scrapbook of their lives”(CNN Living Staff, 1). Their audience is their Facebook friends that may be younger, those parents of special needs children, and their children and their friends. All of the tweets that I gathered for my research are not considering their“audience” when they are posting these statuses about their children. They are simply posting them without realizing that the whole Facebook world is seeing those statuses as annoying.
Adults use Facebook as a way to brag about their children. After researching, it seems as if the only thing that these adults post about on their status is their children, and every status is about their accomplishments. These adults need to know when they are “over sharing” and when it is too much for the Facebook world.
Works Cited
CNN Living Staff, & Koenig, B. (2013, April 2). Beware the Parental Overshare.
Retrieved April 27, 2013, from CNN Living website:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/02/living/overshare-stfu-parents
Gallagher, G., & Konjoian, P. (2012, June 25). School's Out; Parental Bragging's Still
In. Retrieved April 27, 2013, from Psychology Today website:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shut-about-your-perfect-kid/201206/schools-out-parental-braggings-still-in
Raw Facebook Data1. So proud of my daughter & her friends! When they could be doing what college kids do on a Friday night they are helping raise money for cancer research..
2. Love this weather, but my allergies can't take it. Well, I guess you have to take the good with the bad:) 3. What a beautiful day!!!! To bad all my favorite ppl are at college or work..perfect day to go to AC & walk the boardwalkk. 4. When one door closes, another one opens.. 5. Erica passed her last Praxis test!! Graduation May 2014 :) 6. Coming out of work thinking about the 1,000 things I had to do today. I locked my keys in the car. As I am waiting for the tow truck. I looked outside & saw what a beautiful day God has given us. My point for today slow down & enjoy what God has given us. 7. Happy 63rd Birthday Mommy!! We are so blessed to have you as a Mother. You always give so much of yourself with nothing asked in return. I thank God for you.. I love you.. From your 3rd born child..Slim 8. Funny story: Erica wanted me to cook @ her apartment. Im cooking we were enjoying each other. When the alarm goes off. We had to get out the apartment and wait for public safety. I know I have been told I can burn in the kitchen. But a whole apartment building. Lol we are ok just hungry. 9. Praising God from whom all blessings flow. Once again He has kept me. 10. My baby made the Dean's List!! I am so very proud of her. Keep up the excellent work Scuchy.. 11. The only thing that needs to be said we all need to pray for this world! 12. Missed a couple of Sundays because of work and I missed being at my church ! So today I thank my Mt. Zion Family for a beautiful , Holy Ghost Resurrection Service today ! 13. Happy Easter! Have a Blessed Day! 14. At Christian All-Star Basketball Game! I am half a sleep, have Tyson and Gia this weekend! Loving every minute ! 15. 10.8 lbs lost on the Shred Diet! Going to do it again for another 6 weeks ! 16. Marriage isn't easy, you have to always want to fight for it! 17. Proud of Sierra! Always plays hard and gives a 100%! Now next year we are going to aim high to reach that 1000 point mark! Love you! Now let's get ready for Track! 18. Happy 17th Birthday to my beautiful daughter Sierra Alis who has been a blessing, I could have not asked for a better daughter. May God continue to bless you . Love you! 19. Today I am so thankful to God that I can say Happy 63rd Birthday to my mother! Thank you for all my life lessons. 20. Just to let everyone know that Sierra is fine! She just can't play basketball today parents orders! 21. Congratulations to Sierra for being selected to Girls State in June. 22. I told Shawn that he needs to apply for Head Football Coach at Palmyra! He really knows the kids and would make a difference in their lives! So I am asking FB to encourage him! 23. Sometimes you just have to say how good God is ,so that the non believers will eventually believe that there is a God. Sunday Ms Belinda preach on how we always should have the full armor of God around us. So this morning I prayed that all my family would be protected with the full armor of God. My sister Kim was in a car accident this morning and if you saw her car, she should not be here, I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAY THAT IS WHY SHE WALKED AWAY WITH NO SCRATCHES OR BRUISES! Thank you God! 24. Happy Birthday Jesus! Thanks for saving me. Merry Christmas! 25. Spring has sprung in my garden. :) 26. Tomorrow my baby girl will start student teaching - fulfilling her lifelong dream. I am so proud of her. I know she will make a great teacher. ♥ 27. Survived my first ever spin class. 28. So hot in Disney today. Low 80's 29. Escaping the madness and heading to the happiest place on earth! Have a magical weekend. I know I will. :) 30. Happy birthday to my #1 nephew you gettin old love yah smooches 31. No Boundaries 5k beginners training 1st training day done i did it in intervals and got up at 6am lol 32. Seton Hall leadership program proud of our young black men 33. Woow hooo 51 minutes im done a little slow but done feel good for know lol 34. 37 degrees and i left my darn gloves in the car ugh hopefully i will warm up enough while running 35. Get your rear in gear 5k RUN ABOUT TO START praying i make it to the end God be with me 36. I love DANCiNG 37. I love my family we come together just when we need to 38. She lolved her family so much but GOD loved her more love you always grandmom 39. I have done my best given my all and am just trying to keep it great it Gods sight 40. Thank you to my children for a great night i love them so much 41. Not saying who, but coworker left door open for hours after fieldwork 42. Countdown to 40 has officially started! Thanks to everyone for the Birthday love. 43. Out of office for the next 10 days! #LifeOfStateWorkers 44. Barbeque tastes better when someone else is cooking it 45. Casualty with razor. Cut off my mustache 46. Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes...I'm definitely enjoying it! 47. World's greatest kids 8th birthday!!! 48. Why do people "like" their own status updates? 49. AC BEER FESTIVAL 50. IN AC! *All of these Facebook posts are original posts with the permission of the people who posted them. There are no edits in the posts because they are right from their Facebook's. So there is spelling errors!* |
Summary of Facebook Data1. Post about daughter participating in Relay for
Life. 2. Post about loving the weather, but allergies do not. 3. Post about the weather. 4. Life quote. 5. Post about daughter passing praxis. 6. Slow down and enjoy your day. 7. Happy Birth Post to mother. 8. Post about spending time with daughter. 9. God Post. 10. Post about daughter making the dean’s list. 11. Post about Boston bombings, pray for world. 12. Post about loving church. 13. Happy Easter. 14. Post about being at son’s basketball game. 15. Post about dieting again for another 6 weeks. 16. Post about marriage. 17. Post about being proud of daughter with basketball. 18. Happy Birthday post to daughter. 19. Happy Birthday post to mother. 20. Post about daughters injuries with basketball. 21. Post about daughter being selected for Girls State. 22. Post about wanting husband to apply for heads football coach. 23. Post about how God protected sister in a car accident. 24. Happy Birthday Jesus (Merry Christmas Post) 25. Post about household garden. 26. Post about daughter starting student teaching. 27. Post about surviving spin class. 28. Post about being in Disney World. 29. Post about leaving for Disney World. 30. Happy Birthday post to nephew. 31. Post about training for 5k. 32. Post about son being in leadership program. 33. Post about running. 34. Post about running. 35. Post about running a 5k. 36. Post about loving dancing. 37. Post about loving family. 38. Post about grandmoms passing. 39. Post about trying the best. 40. Post thanking children for birthday party. 41. Post making fun of coworker. 42. Post about birthday. 43. Post about being off from work. 44. Post about first barbeque of season. 45. Post about shaving mustache off. 46. Post about enjoying birthday. 47. Post about world’s greatest kids birthday. 48. Post about people on Facebook. 49. Post about going to Atlantic City Beer Festival. 50. Post about being in Atlantic City. |