Facebook, like yo mama taught you!

I love this title, it puts a smile on my face! I find that sometimes on the world-wide web it’s easy to forget those wise words our mamas taught us.   Etiquette, manners, common courtesy is becoming a lost art with the rise of technology based communication.

 Good old fashion manners doesn’t have to be a thing of the past.  Sometimes we forget our manners not just on the computer but with all technology based communication.  Did you pick up that call when you were with someone? Did you text while someone was talking to you? Nodding your head as if you were listening.

Don’t worry, I am not about to tell you how technology is bad but we do need to learn how to transfer those manners into our technologically based communication.  I am right here with you constantly forgetting while on the internet to say thank you, please, reply to emails…. When I am on my laptop I become task-oriented crazy mama with one goal in mind: finish my very long to do list while my son is napping.

Just because we don’t have a face to face encounter with a person or a relationship with the owner of that blog or the Facebook page it has gotten easier to be down right mean and rude. ( I must add sometimes I wasn’t trying to be either of those and my comment was misunderstood but that topic is a whole post of it’s own)

It would serve us well to remember what our mamas have taught us: Thank you, Share, Please, Your welcome and what a real apology is, not just “sorry.”

Grace.  It’s easy to say something judgemental while we hide behind our screen.

Accountability. I can simply click on POST, PUBLISH, TWEET, SEND….. on my not so kind note and leave it as anonymous or use an alias name. For example, “This blog sucks I can’t believe you won the Best Blog Award” Yes, I seriously read that and other atrocities on this persons blog when she won the Parent’s Best Blog award.

Joy. Be happy for others. Let’s rejoice with those who rejoice.

Commitment/responsibility.  It’s easy to back out of something when all I have to do is text you and say “sorry can’t make it” even though its last minute and people were counting on you.

Respect is forgotten, when I don’t have to look at you in the eyes as I share my snarky comment.

We need love, good old fashion manners, common courtesy, kindness….. however else you want to word it doesn’t matter, just share it.

Let’s remember these wise words from Corinthians on how we are to treat one another.

When someone retweets you, or mentions your name on FB, or Stumbles you:

• Send a quick thank you
• Visit their blog and leave a comment.
• Subscribe to their feed.
• Follow them back.

~ Share and spread the great article you discovered with others on your Facebook or other social media platforms.

~If you used their idea mention them on your post. At least mention them if you don’t back link to them.

~Respond to your emails. It’s just plain rude not to. You may not give a rip about this person you don’t know or their email but at least acknowledge them with a quick thanks or not right now or ……. I suck at responding to FB emails, so sorry.

~”Remember: social media isn’t about morphing your offline habits into some new way of interacting with people. They’re people. Follow all the same things that you (hopefully) learned growing up from your parents, or from others you admired and grew up watching.” ~Quote and Title inspiration from Jayzo’s blog

What do you do to reciprocate a kind gesture online?

 The fabulous Printable Artwork above is from Kathleen at Amen