FOOMO

WHAT IS FOOMO?

No, it is not a “spelling” mistake, I made it up!

In this day of speaking in abbreviations, often we, as the older generation have had to learn to decipher code of modern abbreviations, especially when texting.

How many of us thought Lol was “love you lots” or “lots of love”, until we found out it was “laugh out loud”. There was something I had to ask my children about the other day, which they were very happy to decipher for me. (No wonder they think we don’t know anything and they know everything when they are teenagers!)

I also don’t speak emoji very well, but quite honestly, I don’t care. If the expression on the face looks like what I want to say, I will use it. (I learned that the “grimace” was actually a grin after using it for quite a few years – haha).

I think most of us know what FOMO IS – Fear Of Missing Out.  The dictionary definition for FOMO – yes, it is recognised in the dictionary –  is “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media.”

Well, if others can make these things up then, so can I …

“FOOMO” is my abbreviation. It means Fear Of Others Missing Out.

If you have more than one child, you will have seen FOOMO being played out front of your very eyes!

FOOMO is when you give your child a job to do, and they volunteer their siblings.

“What is Jonny going to do?” Or

“Why can’t Missy do it, I ALWAYS have to do it?” Or

“It’s not fair, I always have to take the trash out, when is my brother going to get a turn?”

Aren’t our offspring just wonderful, looking out for the character development of their siblings?

So now you know what FOOMO means!