#vanessablogpost

[socialmediahealth2020-blog]

Re: The Hazards of Using Social Media in Romantic Relationships (Response 5)

By: Vanessa Lauther

I think it is safe to say that the majority of people feel that social media and romantic relationships do not and probably should not mix. Just because of social media’s availability, people are more inclined to open up when compared to in real life, face-to-face and in doing so, they may not be aware of the impact that their statuses, pictures etc. may have on their relationship. Social media make things much more complicated than they really should be. Some people do not like to be the focus of attention nor do they like their personal business to be spoken about. Looking at it in this point of view, I can definitely see why couples may have problems in their relationship or break up because of social media.

Casey Gueren wrote an online article for Women’s Health magazine titled, Don’t Let Social Media Wreck Your Relationship (2013). In the article, she outlines “five rules to make sure Facebook doesn’t screw with your bond.” The fifth rule “brag a little bit” caught my eye because Gueren stated, from a study in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, that partners who regularly share coupling profile pictures and statuses about their relationship are more likely to feel happier about their bond because it shows that they are not ignoring their partner, they are including them. These rules (to me) are rational changes/goals/steps to achieve and maintain the best relationship possible while using not only Facebook but any social media.

Reference

Gueren, C. (2013). Don’t let social media wreck your relationship. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/social-media-tips-for-relationships#.

[socialmediahealth2020-blog]

Re: The Rejection Factor of Social Media (Response 2)

By: Vanessa Lauther

I personally can relate to this feeling of “rejection” through social media sites in the past. It was before I could rationally think of realistic reasons of why one of my friend’s wouldn’t respond to me. The feeling I would get from feeling rejected online versus being rejected in a face-to-face scenario is similar but doesn’t have as much as an impact. A friend may not respond to a message I’ve sent them on Twitter and I may wonder why they haven’t but I’m not going to make a big deal about it. On the other hand, I may have a friend who is continuously rejecting my calls which could be detrimental. This situation would be on my mind until it’s sorted. It may even cause an emotional breakdown depending on the status of the relationship and how long the relationship has last. People are more likely to think and understand why someone may not be able to respond to a message on Twitter or Facebook but it becomes eerie when the rejection is happening outside of a computer screen. 

Clinical psychologist and relationship expert, Carmen Harra has written a blog post for the Huffington Post titled, How to Deal With Rejection(2013). She illustrates points to successfully get over being rejected.

Reference

Harra, C. (2013). How to deal with rejection. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-carmen-harra/dealing-with-rejection_b_3705663.html

[socialmediahealth2020-blog]

Re: social media and physical fitness in children (Response 1)

By: Vanessa Lauther

I look at my younger cousins at their elementary ages and realize how different my childhood was. They have all of these technological gadgets to play with and distract them from the outside world. At their age, I was also spending hours outside playing with friends. It is interesting to see the transition that occurs within a decade. It makes me contemplate how children’s lives will be once another decade passes, especially for when I have my own children. I can imagine how hard it is for parents to say no because children want to fit in and have the latest gadgets and toys but if they don’t receive it, they feel like they’ll be sentenced to exile from planet Earth. It must be difficult for parents to find that perfect balance for recreational play that does not involve electronic objects and ultimately makes the child happy.

Cyber Tip is a website operated by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection whose focus is to protect children from sexual exploitations online. They provide the public with information for protecting children, tweens, and teens. This website would be a great resource for a parent who would like to know more about the potentials of the online world and how to discuss the matter with their children. Part of a parent’s role is to protect and this website assists them with that.

Reference

Cyber Tip. (n.d.). Welcome to cybertip.ca. Retrieved from https://www.cybertip.ca/app/en/