‘Help! My officemates are bullying me on Facebook’

Dear nanay,

Sometime last year I finally joined the social media bandwagon and opened a Facebook account. I did this more to get close to my co-worker whom I was interested in. He was into Facebook so I opened one so I could get to know him. As they say, the rest is history because we officially became a couple two months ago.

Recently however, I have been getting bullied on my Facebook account and I am really getting tired of all the office politics and intrigues that are going around on Facebook. It is no longer fun anymore. I was not even really interested in Facebook in the first place –– I was just trying to get close to this guy. And now that he is already my boyfriend, mission accomplished!

So what should I do? I already posted for people to stop making intriga, that it was counter-productive and it was not helping anybody. But I think my status just fell on deaf ears and my post only got a few “likes.” People will go on being themselves I guess and will just do what they want even if other people are already getting hurt. That doesn’t sound like the best way to spread the spirit of Christmas. — CYBER BULLIED

Dear cuber bullied,

If Facebook is no longer fun for you and you have already achieved your original goal in creating an account in the first place, perhaps you can just do the obvious –– close down your account!  All those posts about office politics and intriga (intrigue) cannot bother you if you do not read them in the first place.

The other thing you can do is to “unfriend” or “block” the people you do not want to read. Correct me if I am wrong but tsismis, intriga and other office politics will probably only be initiated by a handful of individuals. The rest of the people will only be “spectators” as opposed to “initiators.” Therefore, if you do not like to read the posts of these people, then just “unfriend” or “block” them para hindi mo na makita yung mga linalagay nila! (so you don’t see what they’re writing).

Go through your list of “friends” and make sure the ones you keep are really your friends. Hindi yung kakilala mo lang o ka-office mo lang kahit na hindi naman kayo nag-uusap (Not just acquaintances you don’t talk to anyway).  It is better to have a few quality friends rather than hundreds or even thousands who you barely know.

Sincerely,

Nanay

Dear Nanay,

I want to make a comment on the letter you received from Annabelle last week.  She was the one who was asking what else she could do for her children aside from getting them interested in reading books.

As you said, one of the most important things she can do is to simply talk to them and spend time with them.  Aside from this I want to make a couple more suggestions because for me, education of our children is really the most important thing we as parents have to do.

Give your children a chance to be children.  Let them play.  Let them have fun.  There are many studies now that say we should let our children play as opposed to just doing worksheets and “studying” all the time in the traditional sense.  Children also learn a lot about life and the world while playing with even simple things like blocks.  When they are role playing, they learn how to imagine things and maybe go on adventures.  They can act out things in their imagination.

Let your children play outdoors.  Let them run around and get dirty once in a while so that they are not forever playing with their iPads and Game Boys.  Children need to also get physical exercise and they have to have a chance to run around.  Otherwise they will live very non-active lives and this could have some long term harmful effects on their health.  So keep them active and introduce them to sports and exercise so they live healthier lives.

My last suggestion is for parents to make time to spend with their children.  We are all so busy these days especially during the coming holiday season and our children are being raised by the yaya and the TV.  We have to make time for our children and strengthen that unbreakable parent-child bond.  This is the core of any family.  Spend time together, and for lack of a better word, get some bonding time.

Thank you, Nanay, for reading my letter and advance Happy holidays to you and your family.  You are really my idol when it comes to business and family. — Lorena

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If you have a question, email us at asknanay@nationalbookstore.com.ph or just drop your letter at drop boxes in all National Book Store branches nationwide.