Mom on Foursquare

I thought Facebook and Twitter were bad enough. Now new social networking service Foursquare is telling me I’m pretty much a loser.

For the past year, Foursquare, the social service with a geo-locator twist, has allowed tech-savvy hipsters to connect with their friends wherever they are. When you head out to a restaurant, club or coffee shop, you can use your cell phone to “check in” through Foursquare, which will post your location on its map.

Through Foursquare, you can earn points and unlock “badges” by discovering new places or by hopping from club to club. Check in at one location more than anyone else and you become the “mayor,” earning freebies from your favorite restaurants and stores.

Because my manager and I work eight-hour days and both have toddlers and infants at home, we joked we would have the saddest Foursquares ever. Don’t believe me? Here’s a random sample of what my Foursquare would look like.

Nicole P. @ Daycare - 12 hrs ago
4got today was show & tell. Think 3-yr-olds would be impressed with a tire jack?

Nicole P. @ McDonald's - 8 hrs ago
$1 double cheeseburgers. Score!!

Nicole P. @ Chili's - 3 hrs ago
In da club @ Chili’s. Applebee’s had a 20-min wait.

Nicole P. @ Walmart - 2 hrs ago
Picking up toilet paper, shampoo and diapers.

Nicole P. in Metro East: wrote a tip @ Walmart: Rollback prices on toothpaste!

Nicole P. @ Walmart - 1 hr ago
4got baby formula.

Nicole P. in Metro East became the mayor of Walmart.

Nicole P. @ Home – 1 minute ago
Zzzzzzzzz

I do enjoy social networking and know I’ll get on Foursquare soon. I just need to plan some exciting nights out so my Foursquare friends don’t LOL at me.

By Nicole Plegge, Lifestyle Blogger for SmartParenting