Social Networking sites have become so popular that many parents use Facebook to keep in touch with far flung friends, relatives, former co-workers and classmates, but when are kids considered old enough to have the equivalent of a Facebook account? Togetherville.com was launched last week with the intent of introducing 6 to 10 year olds to the online world of social networking, with friends that have been preapproved by their parents.
The new site advertises kid-friendly games, videos, and the opportunity to engage in some of the online activities that kids see their parents or teenage siblings engaging in. According to the website, “Togetherville is a fun, safe social site where kids under 10 can play games, create art, and learn new things, with you and people you know and trust there to supervise.”
Parents can sign up their children on Togetherville.com through their own Facebook accounts, and the parents have access to everything their kids are doing on the site. The kids can choose from a number of pre-written status messages, as opposed to the grown-up version of "What's on your mind?" such as "I can't believe how hot it is for my daughter's 9 a.m. soccer game!" (But hey, all of our friends Up North know that we live in Orlando).
Which brings us to the whole point of social networking: It is a great method of keeping in touch with people you don't see every day, but it really shouldn't be a substitute for face to face contact, especially among young children who are still learning the basics of socialization. Learning how to say "Can I play with you?" to peers is a far more valuable skill than staring at a computer screen, even though 24/7 access via smart phones, laptops and personal computers have become a 21st century reality.
In today's society, children and adults have endless opportunities to stay connected electronically, but there are too many young people who use technology in place of face to face contact, whether they are sharing personal information or spreading a vicious rumor. And how many times do we, as parents, spend time scrolling through our iPhones and Blackberries while our kids are laughing on a playground swing?
At least, one might argue, our generation grew up learning to interact with our peers in the classroom and the playground—but so should our children. It's really a skill that all children should master before moving into the world of online interaction. Perhaps all of us need a little more face time with each other, which is why Togetherville.com sounds like a nice idea, but I'm willing to wait a bit longer before introducing my children to the world of social networking.
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