Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

Let me start off by saying DH and I don't have a Facebook account. The only social media account I have is LinkedIn which I don't even use often and of course is professional contacts.

Anyway, I really don't have any desire to join Facebook. I only ever hear negative things and drama. I don't need to join to see my junior high school friends kids or whatever. My friends and family know what my kids look like.

Friends and family over the years of course have tried to talk us into joining like look at so and so's baby or whatever. Honestly, I have trouble keeping up with my email and my friend's email dings every time someone on Facebook goes to the bathroom or whatever. I'm like who has time for that?!?

Soooo....I am actually thinking of joining. For one reason only. My youngest son has autism. In the next year we will have to think about kindergarten for him. My friend whose son also has autism told me to go on Facebook that there are so many resources, etc. She said that's how she found out about his current school. She posted something and an old friend replied about it and etc etc.

Ive encountered this before. Other parents have told me join the special needs Facebook pages. They offer suggestions on places to get a haircut (this is torturous for my son), and so many other things.

I think I am going to bite the bullet and join. Talk me off the ledge. Tell me it will be ok. I have no problem connecting to friends and family but I really want it primarily for the special needs part. Forgive me, but I just don't have the time to sift through hundreds of people's pics and posts. By the time we get home from work, make dinner, do hw with my other 2, baths for all 3, DH and I are both just spent.

Anyone else feel like this? Any tips?

Message edited 2/12/2017 1:29:42 PM.

Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

Just use it for what you need. There is no reason to be friends with your real life friends or even your family.

I have a facebook with a fake name and I have no friends. I use it for tracking the things I want and for being part of the groups I want to get the info I want.

No pressure if there is no one to bother you.

Re: Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

I was thinking of this. Would groups let me join if I had a limited account (like no pics, etc.)? Wasn't sure how it worked. I know some you have to ask permission for.

Re: Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

Re: Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

Fb is whatever you want to make of it. If you don't want to catch up with old friends and aren't interested in socializing much with current friends and family then don't add them. There's no rule that says you have to. I think it's a great idea to create an account for the reason you described and find resources for your son and connect with other families going through the same. In your case you can add some photos, they don't have to be of your family but maybe places you've been. Like some pages, post a few things, so anyone who moderates private groups knows your account is real. You can keep your account private so nobody can find you.

Re: Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

I started out years ago FB, social media, friends. Now I use it to follow news and join groups. I hate drama and stupid fb drama lol

Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

I find the groups on fb to be really helpful. I add and leave groups over time depending on if they're useful at the time. Potty training, hypotonia, hip dysplasia, LI special education, I even found a group for dd2's very rare birth complications and it's so nice to be able to connect with people over these kinds of things.

If you want to friend people like family and friends it still doesn't mean you have to actually look through their stuff. Posts and pics will show up in your wall but you don't have to look through it unless you feel like it. You can also friend people but not follow them so their stuff won't show on your wall at all.

Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

Like someone else said, FB is what you make it to be. My family lives in another state, so they enjoy being able to see my kids and our activities regularly. It's the way I communicate with my daughter's friend's parents (well, my friends now too). It's how stuff is coordinated for Girl Scouts, gymnastics, special needs functions, events, etc. etc. I shop a lot from various boutiques from FB, and I sell a lot of stuff also. It's also how I keep up with various activities going on at school through our school group. So FB isn't just drama etc. Not to say there isn't any, but just roll and scroll!

Message edited 2/12/2017 4:06:48 PM.

Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

If your only reason for joining is to be able to use the groups, don't use your real name. No one will find you. No one will even know you're on you can use it as a resource without the actual socializing part.

Message edited 2/12/2017 7:44:04 PM.

Re: Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

I agree on not using a real name. Lots of good
Groups.

Re: Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

I really feel like you're over thinking it and it is what you make of it. Also you don't have to sift through the feed and look at pics or post pics. Sometimes Im on it heavy other times I won't even log on for days.

Create an account and use it the way you want. Enjoy the FB groups!

Re: Facebook- thinking of finally biting the bullet and joining

originally i had my real name on there; once i had as many friends as i wanted and didn't want any more or any co workers at all, i changed to a fake last name.

agree with others, don't use your real name, and don't connect it to your primary email account so everything is totally separate.

gl!