Please, grandma, no more Facebook posts about your love life
Grandkids have an instant message for Grandma and Grandpa. While they enjoy having you on Facebook, some secretly want to unfriend you because you post stuff that’s, well kind of embarrassing.
Just in time for National Grandparents’ Day (September 10), a new national survey of millennial grandchildren uncovers the Top Five No-Nos senior folks make on Facebook.
The national survey of 500 grandkids (ages 18 – 34), commissioned by Visiting Angels, reveals a majority of grandkids (89 percent) enjoy having their grandparents on Facebook. However, almost one out of three sometimes secretly want to unfriend grandparents and more than half (54 percent) wish someone would sit down and show grandparents how and when to use the popular app.
The top five:
Post personal stuff — One in four respondents say their grandparents post too much information about their love life and social life. More than one third say Grandma or Grandpa post dirty laundry about family feuds or finances.
Rant and rave — One out of five grandchildren say Grammy goes “emoji crazy” in comments or posts.Thirty-three percent of respondents say they don’t like when grandparents get too political or go holy roller, posting too much about religion (28 percent).
Tread on personal turf — One in four respondents say it’s not cool when Grandma tries to friend their friends. Thirty percent of grandkids say it’s embarrassing when Mimi or Pops post personal comments in public places, like their timeline. Half of those surveyed say they don’t want grandparents commenting on their social life. And please, Grandma, don’t comment about my appearance — whether it’s my hair, weight or clothes!
Spread doom, gloom and guilt — Twenty-five percent of grandkids say they do not like to see grandparents post that they are lonely, unhappy, sick or sad. One out of five respondents say they don’t like to see comments about grandparent’s health, medical issues or procedures. One in four grandchildren say they feel guilty when grandma posts “Why don’t you visit or call more?”
Try to act cool — Twenty-two percent say it’s not cool when grandma or gramps tries to act cool. And one respondent said he wants to hide when grandparents “COMMENT IN ALL CAPS.”
Despite the complaints – and most are good etiquette for online users of any age — that Facebook has become a great way for grandparents and grandkids to communicate.
A majority of those surveyed (72 percent) say it’s OK for grandfolks to post “I love you” on Facebook. More than half (64 percent) say it’s nice to see their photos and share theirs with them. Six out of 10 of grandkids say Facebook is a great way to stay in touch. But still, watch out for TMI.
