Changing My Mind: Engaging with Social Media My Way

I tell everyone I’m reluctant to engage with social media. I’ve tried it multiple times and decided it’s not for me. I don’t want to join in with the noise, shouting, “Listen to me!” and doing whatever it takes to persuade people to follow me.

But then, an inconvenient idea, introduced by a kind friend, begins circulating through my mind. Perhaps I was too hasty, saying I’d never have another Instagram account. Maybe I don’t need to rejoin IG to share my work, but am I missing out on a creative opportunity that I’d enjoy because I declared, “I’m finished with social media, and I’m never going back!”?

I consult Imogen: “I’m thinking about joining IG again. Is that a silly idea? Will I get myself into trouble if I do that?”

“Why did you leave?” asks my daughter.

“I got overwhelmed by the comments and the fast flow of posts through everyone’s feeds. I couldn’t keep up. I couldn’t compete. It was easier to delete my account than try to stay on top of everything.”

“But you enjoyed creating posts?”

“Oh yes, except sometimes I ran out of suitable photos to share. I couldn’t keep up with that either.”

I think about how I used to scroll through my camera roll looking for an attractive and appropriate photo that didn’t invade my kids’ privacy, to go with a caption and feeling it was all too difficult.

I experienced a lot of negative feelings while on social media, so it might be safer to stay away. But one thought won’t leave me alone: IG would be the perfect place to display my unschooling-related AI pictures and short videos. I’d have fun creating a feed full of attractive images attached to some ponderable unschooling ideas.

Imogen and I discuss the pros and cons of rejoining social media a bit more. “What if you did things your way, Mum?”

My way? What would that look like? Well, I wouldn’t worry about followers and joining in with all the conversations. I would ignore the algorithm and post when and what I like. I wouldn’t let the never-ending feed suck me in. I would only do the social media things that aren’t in conflict with my working constraints.

But what’s the point of joining social media and not working as hard as I can, playing the game to the best of my ability, so I have a successful account? Is there one? It depends on my goal, my ‘why’ of social media engagement, and what I regard as success.

What if I use social media in an unschooling way, retaining control and refusing to engage with someone else’s gameplay rules? I could create an IG unschooling collection that would bring me great satisfaction even without thousands of readers.

And who knows? Maybe there are people on IG who’d somehow find my posts, despite the algorithm not working in my favour, and want to read them even if I limit my social engagement. Not everyone will follow me only because I follow them. Some people might actually enjoy and want to read what I write without persuasion.

So, with all this clear in my head, I download the IG app and create an account. For the 4th time, the username stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily becomes mine. I upload a profile image, write a quick bio, and then scribble a caption to go with it:

Hi friends, I’m back! I said I’d never return to IG, but here I am.

It can be difficult admitting we’ve changed our minds about something, can’t it? What will people think? Will our friends take us seriously after we’ve declared, “I’ll never unschool!” or “I’ll never radically unschool!” or “I’ll never return to IG!”?

The thing is, we might have meant those words at the time of saying them. But now? Perhaps we’ve pondered ideas we used to feel uncomfortable with. We could have gone deeper. We might understand more than we did. If this happens, it would be silly to stay where we are, wouldn’t it? We need to be brave and move on, making changes. Do what we now feel is right.

Something changed for me while I was away from IG: I found a new way to tell the unschooling story that doesn’t involve posting yet more photos of my very patient family. Want to know more? Why not follow me as I use my imagination and creativity to share snippets of my unschooling writings? I might share some new stories, too!

So, I’m Sue Elvis. Want to be friends?

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Author, blogger, podcaster telling my unschooling stories in a new creative way.

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If you’re on IG, you could follow me at stories_ofan_unschoolingfamily. But if you choose not to, that’s perfectly okay.

Thank You

A big thank you to my Buy Me a Coffee supporters. A coffee always helps!

So, What Do You Think?

Do you enjoy posting on IG? If so, do you do things your way? And how do you prevent yourself scrolling and scrolling and scrolling? Perhaps, like me, you’re too busy creating to have time for time-wasting!