In recent conversations with my sister, I got to thinking more about our parents and the impact they had on me and my way of approaching the world.

As I wrote in a blog post a few weeks ago, my mother Natalie Eder was an lifelong learner.  She re-read the classics with me when I was in my teens and she was in her 40s. Then in her 50s, she learned Spanish after my parents moved to Tucson, AZ.

I truly believe that one reason I love social media so much, especially LinkedIn, is because, like my mom, I love to learn. I am curious about countless topics, and being part of social media sites is such a delightful way to gather new information.

Sure I could just Google a topic, but really, what fun is that? I want to see dialogue among different people about that topic. I much prefer the interactivity of social media to the more static world of websites and electronic articles.

Then there’s my dad, Gene Eder, who could talk with anyone anywhere about anything. As a child I marveled at his ability to strike up a conversation with a total stranger while standing in line at places like the Carlsbad Cavern.  Like, my mom, he loved to learn, yet his style was to learn more through engaging in conversations than by picking up a book.

To me, I had the perfect parents for foster my interest in and involvement with social media. Although it’s been nearly 20 years since my mom passed away and just over 10 years since we lost my dad, I feel their presence with me every day.

If they had been around for social media, they would have loved it!

Instead of writing all those carbon copies of letters of family news to her siblings, my mom could just have posted the key points to her Facebook wall. My dad would have gotten into several groups on LinkedIn that tied into his interests and then commented regularly on the topics being discussed.

For those of you in the Baby Boomer age group, how do you think your parents might have used social media if they had access to it when they were alive?

If your parents are still alive, are they using social media? If so, how do they use it?

Do you, like me, find yourself channeling your parents in your own social media experiences?

 

Joyce Feustel

Boomers’ Social Media Tutor

www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com