Nicola Young: There is value in connecting online

Nicola Young

THIS glorious summer we will be told many times to switch off our devices - put down your phone, turn off the computer, and just connect with people face-to-face.

I agree the human experience is incredible when it is personal and physically real, but I also see value in the online world - the virtual experience of friendships.

Social media, like Facebook and Twitter, has value to people and this constant stream of "turn it off" belittles the benefits it brings - well, at least to some people, some of the time.

I've had a few days on my own and it has been wonderfully relaxing, but it has also been reassuring to be connected with my kids through seeing pictures on Facebook of them playing with their cousins.

With social media you can control what you see: you choose what to follow, so if you have a friend who posts too much or on topics that drive you barmy, you can hide their posts - you don't have to "unfriend" them, although that's okay, too.

It is great to see the local "pay it forward" Facebook page doing a roaring trade in people helping each other, whether it is giving away excess plums, children's clothing and toys that have been outgrown, or even second-hand TVs. Social media is not just a time-waster - it is a vehicle for connecting people.

I follow a few positive parenting pages. They share thoughts like this one from L R Knost: "Remember, it's when they are most difficult to love that they most need to feel loved."

This is good advice for me, as my boys are full noise and quite rough with each other a lot of the time, so it is good to bear this thinking in mind when it comes to setting boundaries on the serious stuff.

My impression of Facebook so far this season has been a tonne of stunning beach images from friends all around New Zealand, Australia and further afield - at least from those friends who haven't switched off!

There is something to be said for switching off technology for a while and not trying to keep up with the latest news. It is so tempting to stay connected if you are a news addict like me, with internet access almost everywhere.

I have been saddened by the high number of drownings so far this summer, including the young Whanganui man at Castlecliff Beach. It is scary how quickly someone can get in trouble - our beaches are so dangerous.

Thanks to Facebook-sharing my memories, I was reminded it's been a year since my youngest fell into a friend's swimming pool. That taught me a lesson that I need to be right next to the pool - not just watching from a distance - when he's near water.

Speaking of water, the stories about the climate extremes happening around the world also make me feel sad - the climate change genie is already out of the bottle with Britain suffering serious flooding and the United States having Kiwi summer temperatures instead of a white Christmas.

We need action now. The global agreement at Paris is a good start but this NZ Government is not pulling its weight. I can only hope that 2016 brings a stronger plan of action for us to do our bit. Sea levels are already rising and our coastal communities will be increasingly impacted if faster change does not come.

So my thoughts for the start of 2016: Look after your children, stay connected with people, both online and in person - and please don't drown.

-Nicola Young has worked in the government and private sectors in Australia and NZ and now works from home in Taranaki for a national charitable foundation. Educated at Wanganui Girls' College, she has a science degree and is the mother of two boys.