Parents on Facebook?

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My Facebook inbox is constantly full of messages sent to my whole family by my dad. Messages consist of “Congratulations to Reuben [my little brother] on his band’s first gig [Vapor Friday]. They were great!” or “Happy Birthday Cousin Jordan!” We discuss family vacations, Thanksgiving plans and any other news. This is the only reason I am friends with my dad on Facebook, hence the limited profile. (Sorry, Dad…). I felt too bad ignoring his friend request, so I accepted him and put him on a limited profile. This way, I control exactly what he can and can’t see. Yes, this may be a little offensive, but as said on the “Today Show”, it feels like my parents are reading my personal diary when they look at my profile. That doesn’t necessarily mean that my profile is inappropriate. Parents just don’t understand the teenage world.
Facebook is supposed to be a safe haven where all of my friends and I can connect in one single place. We laugh at funny pictures together while not being physically together. We plan events, join groups and simply chat about anything we like. Except now that parents are joining Facebook, we can’t chat about anything we like anymore. We need to be more careful about what we say and how we say it. I understand that Facebook is a perfect place for adults to connect with people they haven’t seen or even spoken to in 30 years. Sometimes I just wish that there was a separate place for adults and teens to connect.

P.S.: Parents—don’t be offended if we don’t accept your friend request. I promise it is NOT personal!