I've thought about my use of social media and how it has impacted her life. I've shown her less and less here over the years. Not out of fear of being off topic or fear for her safety or because my audience isn't interested (all valid reasons) but because at some point I realized her story was not my story to tell.

I teach her about standing up for herself, of being aware of her environment, and of trusting her gut. My role as mom is to build that inner fortitude that will help her survive and flourish. And yet each time I choose to put her on my social channels, its a bit like saying 'It's up to me to determine where your boundaries are and it's okay if I cross them'. And I don't think it is.

Chloe in Paris in 2014, steps from Notre Dame

I would have been happy for Chloe to grow up in a world without social media but that's not the case. The tragic fire at Notre Dame yesterday reminded me that we see the world through the lens of our devices. It's the lives we share online that ultimately link us with more people than we could ever know in person. That's a blessing (I've been enriched to share so much with you kind readers!) but it has consequences that I don't know we fully understand yet.