Kiddipedia
We know all too well the challenges and experiences of becoming a new parent. On top of crying babies and midnight feeds there is always family and friends who want to call you relentlessly, or drop by unannounced to meet your bundle of joy. Luckily, the rise of social media and messaging platforms like Messenger has helped make it easier to communicate and share life updates with those you love instantly.
With an array of great features designed to connect people when it matters most, social platforms like Messenger make it easier to maintain connections and develop new ones, making the life of new parents easier as they stay more connected than previous generations. Here are some tips and tricks for using Messenger for new parents:
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- Introducing your newest family member to extended family and friends
When your new baby is born there are so many people who you want to share the great news with, but sometimes distance, time and vaccinations (or lack thereof) can make it hard for a physical introduction. Video chat on Messenger makes it possible to connect with up to 50 family and friends, making it the perfect way to let those near and far know that your family has expanded! Messenger users that want to video chat just need to start a group and
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- Keeping those precious milestones/moments private
Your baby’s first smile, first steps and first words are all precious moments for parents, and sometimes they are something to be shared privately among your inner circle before being posted online for that person you met travelling through Vietnam ten years ago to see. Messenger’s personal conversations make it easy to send both photos and videos of your bub to select people, such as grandparents, aunties/uncles and close friends so that they can privately experience the excitement and joy of these milestones, even if they aren’t there when it happens!
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- Keeping up with old friends and connecting with new ones
When you become a parent, you have the chance to make new friends through community activities such as mother’s (or father’s) groups. Group chats on Messenger are the perfect way to stay connected when you join a new group or playgroup. You can personalise your conversations, make playdate plans using the calendar feature, start a poll to make a decision about which nappies are the best, and use M suggestions when you have your hands full feeding bub and can’t type a full message! Group chats on Messenger also allow you customise chats by:
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- Selecting a custom emoji that perfectly captures the personality of your group chat, like the baby emoji for your Mother’s Group group chat
- Using reactions, which gives you an option to quickly express how you feel to a message with an emoji – like ? when your friend shares great news or ?when picking a spot to meet up for a play date
- Picking a custom nickname for your group chat like “Dads Gone Wild” or “Paddo Mums”
- Using @ to mention a friend in a group chat if you need to get a quick response – they will receive a notification calling their attention to your message
Helping time poor parents easily connect and communicate with those that they need to stay in touch with.
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- Mum and Dad need some ‘me time’
Sometimes you just need a break from the reality of being a parent. Once bub is asleep and you find the time to put your feet up, why not use your spare time to take a ‘brain break’ and play your all-time favourite games on Messenger, including: Pac-Man, Snake, Words with Friends and Space Invaders. Simply start a conversation with friends or yourself, click on the ‘plus’ sign next to the text box, go to the ‘Games’ option and choose. At the touch of your finger you can play instant games without leaving the couch!
Whether you are trying to stay connected with family and friends or have just joined a new parenting group and want to ask their advice on all things parenthood, Messenger is the perfect all-around tool. It makes it possible to share photos, video chat, make plans and take some time out, all at the touch of your fingertip, even if you are juggling a baby in the other arm and navigating this new and amazing next chapter called parenthood.
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You may also like to read:
Effects of Social Media on Children
