I often speak about the value of Social Media and the importance of Social Media in helping Dad and Mom be the best parent they can be. Social Media is where your children live, after a certain age. And that “certain age” is getting younger and younger.

At the Apple Store recently, I spoke with the mother of a toddler who was getting an iPad for her 14-month old baby! She said many of her friend’s babies had begun using them before they had begun to speak!

So, there is no time to lose for parents to familiarize themselves with Social Media and the many emerging technologies that they may have been slow to adopt. This doesn’t even include the incredible value it will provide to each one of you in your own lives, on top of its value to your parenting.

My birthday proved to be a dramatic example of its personal value and one that took me completely by surprise. I have a daily Social Media routine. It is quite consistent and quite enjoyable. Occasionally, it becomes mildly burdensome but most of the time it just provides joy and a wonderful outlet for my non-stop desire to ramble, talk, share, and learn.

Every morning begins with checking my e-mail, tweets, and updating things on my web site and the A Dad’s Point-of-View Facebook Page. While I also have a Facebook (personal) profile, I don’t tend to go there as frequently.

On my birthday, no different than any other day to me, I followed this daily ritual. First, I read, deleted, and/or replied to my e-mail. I updated the News of the Moment on BruceSallan.com, which I do each morning. I posted my morning post on my Facebook Page (an afternoon one is posted every week-day). I checked a couple of other web sites that I routinely use.

Then, I went to my Facebook profile page. What I saw actually brought tears to my eyes. What I saw were 123 birthday greetings! It took refreshing the page several times to be able to actually read them all. I was so moved, I couldn’t move!

Some of these messages were simply, “Happy Birthday, Bruce.” Others included an image or a link. And many had something extra to say about my role as an advocate for dads. EVERY one of these people took a moment out of their busy day to wish me well.

I’d gotten similar greetings in past years, but not near as many. This past year has been a big growth year for me via Social Media and the number of friends and followers I had had grown exponentially.

So for this dad, Social Media and my family MADE my birthday!

By Bruce Sallan