With 400 million+ users, Facebook is a social force unlike anything parents have faced before. And parents have a vital role to play in providing guidance to your teenager as s/he plays on this digital playground….whether you feel comfortable or not on Facebook. Your “digital footprint” refers to all your interactions, information and transactions that take place in cyberspace. You’ve surely heard the horror stories about college admissions offers, employers etc. seeing things on the internet that reflect poorly on young people… so clearly teenagers need guidance. And who will they look to for this guidance? It better be you. Who else has their long term best interest in mind? BUT, if you feel Facebook is overwhelming, you are not alone. And even if you are relatively comfortable on Facebook, it is daunting the way it changes so frequently.

I’m happy to tell you that help is here! Facebook Guide for Parents* is an up-to-date, in-depth, hands-on tool that will be a life-saver for you as you try to guide your teen on Facebook so that s/he is properly safeguarded. There are good reasons why you need the help offered in this guide…
Here are just some of areas to consider while guiding your child on Facebook:

The Facebook Guide for Parents comes in several contemporary formats – downloadable and in hardcopy – that guide you as you walk through the profile, settings and activities one by one so you can understand the impact of the choices you and your teenager make. It is a step-by-step instruction manual that is accompanied by 12 short (5 minutes or less) video tutorials to visually guide you. In addition to providing guidance on the ins-and-outs of the privacy settings, the authors provide instruction on the basics:

Facebook Guide for Parents is developed by the five social media experts who run Supreme Social Media. Calling themselves “the Supremes” these media savvy women are mothers, aunts, sisters… and they saw a big disconnect between what kids are doing online and what their parents know about that. The only way a parent can guide a child intelligently on Facebook is to be present there… and many parents are somewhere between woefully behind and somewhat confused. This guide will get you where you want to go… and keep you up to date as things change.

Some of you may be aware that late in April (2010) Facebook implemented some innocuous-looking changes that some critics feel may not be so benign after all. Many industry watchers are closely monitoring what Facebook calls “the open graph,” and its implications on our online privacy now and in the future. As Facebook links applications with personal profiles, one’s digital footprint expands in ways far beyond what is obvious. As Facebook changes its product and details, those who own a copy of Facebook Guide for Parents will receive access to updates for an entire year. What that means is the Supreme Socials will help you stay on top of your Facebook experience as things change, and will inform you so that you can be sure you and your teen are making good choices for your – and his/her – digital footprint.

[PS: In a meeting earlier this week with fellow business owners, I noticed a high degree of confusion in some of the basics in Facebook and other social networks. Truthfully, Facebook Guide for Parents will help you even if your primary focus isn't on your teenager. The Supremes have put together a really useful tool. And if your focus is on using Facebook for business, you should check out some of their other offerings.]

*I have done something I’ve never done before and must disclose it to you. I am so impressed with this product, and think it is so important for parents, I have become an affiliate sales agent for this product.

Parents of younger teens are sometimes wondering how to provide the safe online activities that will teach and entertain kids, while giving them reliable protection. NewMoonGirls.com is one such online community; specifically created for girls ages 8 – 12 this unique site offers ad-free, healthy and positive content and encourages tween girls to share their creativity through artwork, poetry, videos etc. Two of their major areas of focus are to build self- esteem in girls and to promote a healthy body image. Membership to this site and community can make a memorable, enjoyable and educational holiday gift.

To share their words: “New Moon Girls is an online community and print magazine where girls create and share poetry, artwork, videos, and more; chat together; and learn. All in a fully moderated, educational environment designed to build self-esteem and positive body image. Membership is just $29.95 for 12 months unlimited online access + 6 bimonthly issues of New Moon Girls print magazine.”

When you visit their website, you’ll know you’ve found a special place. Inviting, colorful and inspirational, they do a first-class job in appealing to your tween daughters, nieces and friends. Here’s just one small section from their home page; you can easily tell these good folks take what they do seriously.

www.NewMoon.com

Here’s a sample copy of their November/December magazine.

This is a terrific holiday gift idea for the tweens and young teen girls on your list. Don’t wait. www.NewMoon.com

Round-ups of best web sites are really helpful as we sort through the overwhelm on the web. Here’s a particularly helpful post from a nursing site on the 100 Best Blogs for Healthy Parents. (Yes, we made it on their list. :>) It is divided into groupings such as

• From Health Professionals
• Nutrition and Healthy Living
• Parenting Advice
• Specifically about Daughters or Sons
• Teenage Years
• Food allergies
• Childhood illness Support and Information