How #Snapchat strengthened the bond between me and my child

Kimberley
9 years ago
- Vlog

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I tell peeps that #Snapchat is like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram rolled into one app! TechCrunch says Snapchat doesn’t want to make your photos and text disappear; it wants TO BE YOUR WHOLE PHONE. This is true. The apps I most frequently use as a part of my job in social media are Twitter, Facebook, Vine, YouTube, G+, LinkedIn, Periscope, Instagram, Pinterest and the list goes on. None of these are appropriate for my 9 year old to use or preview. They are streaming data and images all about campaigns that I am working on. In his eyes, mommy is always on the phone or on the computer. Life could be different if I had a remote office, but since I’ve been a mom I’ve kept a home office and commute for meetings. Nonetheless it would be fair to say that the little guy resents my electronics as he competes with them for attention… and rightfully so, until now. A while back I scoffed at #Snapchat and I was relieved, because I certainly didn’t want to add yet another difficult platform to use on my phone. I have many apps scrolling on my screen and it’s annoying. When I noticed one of my cohorts killing it on #Snapchat, I decided my time is due. I tossed out my hoity toity social media attitude and downloaded the little ghost. I was wondering why I am doing this when all my chats and photos will just disappear anyway? I was yet to be convinced that this ghost was going to stay. Not only is the ghost staying, but he is indeed my family’s favorite friend and icon. It takes a while, okay, lets be honest, a few weeks to figure out how to really maximize Snapchat.

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The video and image quality are phenomenal. Once I got the hang of how to add friends (which is so cool if you add by snap code) I began to tell stories. Each hour of each day I found myself telling more and more of my daily story through pictures and 5 second videos with cute stickers and text overlays. I was watching other colleagues tell stories and learning how to use the app to its full capacity. I was also impressed with the Discover section where you can get tutorials on how cook, videos on how to shop or watch dramatic millennial micro-stories for sheer entertainment. Go ahead, add me and see my snaps here: https://www.snapchat.com/add/kimberleyblaine

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“Swipe it Mommy,” my kiddo commands, so I do. For the first time there’s an app where my little guy and I can use together where I can still consider it somewhat working! He helps me tell my stories; he tests out, with sheer delight, all the crazy creepy face filters. We have a blast sending our stories and videos to our family. Now when I’m on the phone he wants to join and create. For us the phones have typically separated us all. Now with Snapchat we are chatting, cracking up and sending friends videos of us barfing rainbows.

I think Snapchat is brilliant. Its in-the-moment rawness forces the very educated and well-to-do marketer to lighten up. Want to do something out of the box? Try Snapchat. I can see how one becomes addicted. You’re very social on it and still “In the moment.” Other apps take you away from IRL. Snapchat makes you live that moment and revel in it because it will shortly go away. I love to watch people with Ph.D.’s or CMO’s sport piggy ears and unicorn horns with their kids – and with no regrets.

Indeed Snapchat has taken at least 20 years off my life. I feel like a college student again.

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