Those of you who have children know that our journey as parents never ends. We will forever be “mom” or “dad,” and no matter your child's age, they will always be your baby. So, as I sit here writing this, I realize we're at a crossroads, the likes of which have never been seen before in history. We can't rely on our parents to help us out with this problem because they didn't have to deal with it. All thanks to the rapid emergence and “importance” of social media.

It's difficult to “parent” around these waters because we're wading into the pool at the same time as our children. Unfortunately we can't hold their hands along the way because we're trying to stay afloat as well. They're growing up with problems we never had to deal with. As silly as it sounds, a few of the biggest one's are “followers” and “likes.” Truth is, they are neither. Just as there's nothing truly social about social media. This is proven by the fact that interacting with our phones has replaced good old-fashioned human interaction.

As we try to support our own children in this new era, we must also become self-aware with how we conduct ourselves “socially.” More simply put, if you don't want your daughter posting booty pics, then you should refrain from posting them as well, mom. No matter how good your yoga gal pal Turnt Tammy says you look.

Being in the profession I'm in, I'm not only encouraged to have social media pages, many times I'm contractually obligated to use them to promote projects. Like this book, for example. I'll be all over social media promoting my bandanna-wearing butt off. So, feel free to take a break from reading and follow me on Insta and Twitter @dancortese. The first 20 new followers will get a photo of a signed copy of my book DM'd to them and as an added bonus, I'll insert their favorite emoji into the message. Sad but true; this is the type of world we live in today.

So, I find myself walking a fine line with my kids. How can I tell them that it's not important how many “likes” and “followers” you have, when I'm expected to increase mine? As job opportunities present themselves to me, so often getting the gig or not hinges on my “social numbers.” I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to say, “Here's a social number for you,” and button that with an Italian salute. So, I deal with it the only way I can. I lean on my honesty with the kids and reassure them as often as needed that no number of “likes” should ever affect the love they have for themselves.

That's all fine and they appreciate it. But when they see random 16-year-olds doing make-up tutorials or pranking people in malls, getting 50 million hits and “likes,” and driving Teslas, kids can't help but think they'd like to have all of that, too. Therefore, my argument to them needed to become a bit stronger. But I've realized that was the problem, I don't need to make an argument at all, so I've chosen to rely on our trust. Trust that they will respectfully use the platforms and in doing so, prioritize their self-worth over their “status”. My job is to let them know that we're in this together and I'm here to help guide them along this path, not insist on what direction they must go.

One aspect of social media where I've found I can be extremely helpful is in dealing with internet bullies and trolls. Sorry, but every time I hear someone use the term internet “troll,” I can't help but think of a troll doll and assume, “They can't be that bad.” But alas, they are, and I've encountered my fair share of them thanks to what I've chosen to do for a living. I never thought I'd say this but, having to deal with them has been a blessing for me. Because of it, I now have the necessary knowledge to help my kids when it comes to dealing with the different types of negativity that eventually finds everyone on social media.

Trust me, I'll get another healthy dose from the Troll Patrol once this book is released. “Is it a pop-up book? Did Kurt Loder write it for him? Bet it's a whopper of a read! Is it in crayon? Who knew he was still alive? Who cares?” They'll try their best to get one of their “followers” to laugh and hopefully, get a re-tweet. That's fine, it's the world we live in today and I get it, because it's the easy way out. It's how people choose to share their “voice” nowadays. Not in person, not face to face, but from their phone armed with a fake profile pic and a sick handle like @someloser68, because someone equally as cool already had @someloser69.

Truth is, there's nothing anyone can say about me that will ever affect me negatively. I continue to try and get my kids to accept that same mindset. But, I also understand that it's easier for me to do so because, thanks to Hollywood, my skin is thicker than John Stamos's hair after a blowout. I'm not sure if it's intriguing, comical, or just plain sad that people actually take time out of their day to spew random negativity toward others. All I can say to them is, if you have a job, get back to work or try having an actual conversation with a coworker. If you don't have a job, put on your drawers, get out of your grandmama's basement and go outside and get one, because you're giving trolls a bad name.

While in the midst of trying to decipher this new way of “socializing” and “liking” others, I decided to stop wasting my time doing so. I see it like this. As a father I will teach my children right from wrong, to always be respectful, conduct themselves with class, help those who can't help themselves, and always find time to laugh. Because at the end of the day, people are either going to love and appreciate you or not. Simply put, the number of followers you have or likes you get doesn't really matter if you don't love and appreciate yourself.