Got this from my dad a few minutes ago. It was too good not to save for posterity:

I win.

World’s Most Awesome SMS / Text Message

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Over on our questions and answers community, roguekiller23231 began a discussion about things our parents told us when we were young which may – or may not – have been true. “Your face will freeze that way if you do that!” How many times did you hear that growing up? I’m willing to bet your face is intact and not frozen into some grotesque mask. What things did the adults in your life tell you that you now know for a fact were a fib?

One thing my parents said was that too much time on a computer would hurt me. I’m pretty sure I busted that myth. Another thing I was told was that playing RPGs would lead to Satanism. Uhm… I’ve never worshiped any type of demonic creature, seriously. I’ve played plenty of RPGs and loved them, though!

Now that my dad has his own YouTube account, perhaps he’ll respond to this video. He can let you know about things they told me when I was a kid that did turn out to be true.

What about you? What types of white lies or fibs were you told as a child?

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<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mumWKgukymE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mumWKgukymE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

The Truth as Parents Know It

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I was a baby once, a looong time ago. Some may argue I still act like one at times. However, I’m not dwelling on that point right now! I want to focus on an email from my friend Jim. He asks how will all of the content posted online of kids by their parents affect their future? Face it, parents post a lot of things about their children online in order to share with the World their child’s great looks, the A they received on that term paper, and even their latest Crayola masterpiece. What impact could this possibly have on the kids as they themselves grow into adulthood? Jim wonders how they may feel about having their privacy invaded so to speak? He also asked if I had kids of my own how I would handle things. Would I put my kids on my show, or keep them private.

This is certainly a more interesting topic for adults who have kids of their own – but it is good to get kids’ opinions, as well. We have a great mixture of both in our live community, which is a great way to get many different perspectives. The question that was asked though, is what would I do?

The answer is that I’d enjoy sharing that part of my life. Diaper changes on a live stream would be fun. Sure, the kid may grow up hating the fact that I streamed that particular event – but hey – everyone poops!

I think sharing your child’s life is ok to a point. It’s tricky, and I realize that even though I say I’d share a lot… the truth is I have no idea what I’d do if and when the situation arises. Privacy is paramount. I believe that being open is important to a child as they are growing up. Too many people are hindered because they aren’t happy about who they are. They aren’t proud of who they are, and have very little sense of self. Sharing your life (especially the happy moments) could prove to be quite beneficial to one’s self-esteem.

That being said, there are a lot of idiots online, kids and adults alike. You’ll learn to develop a really thick skin. People will form opinions where they are unwarranted. It’ll happen whether you feel it should or not. Getting used to behavior like this will help you sooner, rather than later. It can help overcome shyness, and gain you some recognition from people who believe in you and the things you do. You have a greater chance of being yourself and understanding yourself if you are open about yourself. Sharing bits of your life online can help facilitate that.

I also believe there is some amount of responsibility on the side of the adult to educate the child about proper social responsibilities. I encounter kids all the time in what I do. We have everything from teenagers up to people of retirement age in our chat room. Giving a child the ability to decide once they understand what is going on is important. Not putting your child into a potentially embarrassing situation later in life is important, as well. Let them have a say as to what they would or would not like posted publicly… and respect their wishes.

Sharing affinities and making connections, even at a young age, is a great thing. Opening your World to people you would otherwise never have met is an excellent way to broaden your horizon. Keep in mind you should never post something that will come back to bite you (or your child) in the future. What you post will live there forever. Even if you delete something… it’s still lingering somewhere… either through a re-post, an archive, or whatever!

Bottom line: it’s good to share your child’s life online, as long as you are cognizant of what can be said about the material to your child in the future. Be honest with your child about what you post, and where. Listen to them when they are old enough to understand, and let them choose whether or not you post things.

Editor’s Update:

A few weeks after this was posted, I came across an article online by Ari Herzog. He had read this post, and contacted a friend of his about this type of situation to see her thoughts on the subject. Elizabeth has chronicled her daughter’s life online since the day the child was born. It’s interesting to see the “other side” of things from her perspective.

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Should Parents Share a Kid’s Life Online?

Why is it next to impossible to give tech support to your parents, even if you’re using remote viewing software? :) Love ‘em, but…

MikeQuinn: Hey, I am working on a project for a company called CentraStage they hope to make the remote support for parents a bit easier

about 22 hours ago

Thu Feb 12 13:44:33 +0000 2009

mgwolf13: My parents wait for our visit to cram 1 yr of tech support into our visit. I'm a gadget & sw geek and husband is microsoft.

about 22 hours ago

Thu Feb 12 13:13:55 +0000 2009

hdunnett: @chrispirillo: Helping parents with IT challenges. Got that T'shirt!

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 09:02:02 +0000 2009

techcom: I rememeber years ago trying to coach my Grandma over the phone to use a mouse; she held it up to the screen!

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 07:35:57 +0000 2009

electronicmusic: there is a biz model a parental tech support ….

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 06:07:19 +0000 2009

dev_random: generatinal divide to the digital power

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 05:10:16 +0000 2009

sufferfest: cuz they do stupid shit. My dad trashed his entire applications folder. Why? He couldn't tell me…

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 05:10:14 +0000 2009

kevinlcc: for my parents, it's not so much support as “Hi, we have a problem, please fix it while we watch tv.”

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 05:08:06 +0000 2009

djbruce: because they just don't get it. i got my mom on google chat and that took 2 days.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 05:06:05 +0000 2009

DonRoberts: It's not impossible, but I find being Tech Support for my remote family members requires the patience of a saint…

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 05:00:46 +0000 2009

The_Creeper: Same story here, so I tend to just fix whatever needs it for 'em instead of trying to talk them through it =P

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:58:58 +0000 2009

stephenfisher: Oh man. I hear you. The problem is so many companies give realy bad support and we're often the better option.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:56:04 +0000 2009

PassTheBoll: Giving tech support to them period is impossible,actually.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:52:47 +0000 2009

whatmakesexpert: @CaliLewis @Pistachio @ijustine So, Tell us.. What Makes YOU an Expert? in 140 characters or less..

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:50:49 +0000 2009

susiehk: Too true! RT: @chrispirillo: Why is it next to impossible to give tech support to your parents, even if you're using remote viewing software

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:50:30 +0000 2009

RelevantMom: I hear a fair amount of sighing and colorful language when my husband has to perform this service.My que to head for the hills

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:44:38 +0000 2009

TreyRust: I KNOW!!

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:43:46 +0000 2009

Obscura: A few years back I suggested my parents go to the local small town computer store and hire a geek to come out and fix things.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:43:08 +0000 2009

EdibleApple: no kidding! I think parents in general are the only people who use a quintuple click when trying to open something

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:42:38 +0000 2009

anthonyryan: HA! Been there far too much. Parents won't ever understand our generation apparently

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:41:59 +0000 2009

alfredtwo: No kidding! Doing tech support for my Dad remotely has me looking to buy a plane ticket to do it in person.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:41:38 +0000 2009

rajtilak: I believe that parents are born technologically challanged. They don't acquire it, it's their birthright.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:41:37 +0000 2009

tamegoeswild: with you on that. I usually have to pop a few blood pressure pills afterwards.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:41:30 +0000 2009

IrrationalArt: do you know a mac app that works like Afloat (window transparency) only for non Cocoa applications?

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:40:59 +0000 2009

ZoliErdos: C'mon. I can't do it in the same room:-(

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:40:54 +0000 2009

simpso1ja: Funny you would say that. Just last night, I shut down remote desktop app and port on mom's machine. Local support only…

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:40:53 +0000 2009

JasonLandals: It's even worse when my mom calls me at work for tech support. I work corporate IT and she gets the work version of her son…

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:40:33 +0000 2009

charlyjl: the term Patience takes on new meaning when helping parents (and siblings) with tech problems.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:40:02 +0000 2009

wmcleanw: I've been there.

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:39:50 +0000 2009

divinjohn: second that!

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:39:45 +0000 2009

alliecine: lol it will never be easy

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:39:35 +0000 2009

chrispowell: that is why i am glad that my dad is a geek

about a day ago

Thu Feb 12 04:39:04 +0000 2009

Tech Support to Parents

In my extended family, there are very few Pirillos and Lambertis who have picked up and honed the writing craft. My maternal grandmother loved to write in her youth, and my mom has also been known to pick up a pen every once in a while as well.

For months, my parents have been begging me to help them start a blog. It was my hope that Lockergnome would have been better positioned to help them by now, but that’s (obviously) still a work-in-progress. This afternoon, I set up separate spaces for both my mom and my dad.

My mom sent me a piece on postcard collecting a few weeks ago, in the hopes that it would be her first post… and so it is:

I first recall collecting postcards at the age of five when a friend of the family started sending me postcards of his travels. As a child, it was exciting to be receiving mail (unlike today when most mail is either bills or junk mail!). Little did Father Keith (missionary) know that he started me on a lifelong love of postcard collecting. I collect postcards as my souvenirs from the travels Joe, husband, and I take. Here are the reasons I think postcards are the absolutely BEST souvenir you can purchase…

Should they ever get a faster connection at home, I’d recommend that dad set up his own YouTube channel (since he has a dynamic personality that may not come across in writing). Until then, however, feel free to leave comments on my mom’s first blog post (EVER).

My Mom’s Blog