Novi, MI: Hyper-Connected 24/7:Kids and Social Media
What would the children and teens you know do if you asked them to give up their cellphones and Internet connections for a day? It wouldn’t be easy. Our kids are increasingly tethered to their technology, so much so that…
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Youth Ministry’s Crucial Cultural Mission. . .
Because I grew up in a Pastor’s home, we oftentimes had missionaries visit and stay with us. I remember listening to the stories and watching the slide shows they’d deliver during the all-ages Sunday School hour. These encounters shaped my…
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Why Youth Ministry Shouldn’t Be The Greatest Show On Earth. . .
The truth is that I was jealous. I was convinced that there was no way I could compete. Even worse, I believed there was a competition. I was a young youth worker doing ministry in a suburban church during the…
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Frederick, MD: Born 2 B Wired
Digital natives. . . that’s who our kids are. Unlike us, they’ve been born into a hyper-connected world filled with things like Facebook, social networking, status updates, tweets, texts, touch screens, and blogging. Technology has not only changed the landscape,…
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Teen Loneliness. . . and Youth Ministry. . . .
If ever there was a sad and tragic irony, this is it. The generation that has more social connectivity tools and possibilities at their fingertips (literally), is the loneliest. The research, released today, indicates that young people are more likely…
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Fort Washington, PA: The Digital Brain
CPYU President Dr. Walt Mueller will present “The Digital Brain: Understanding Technology’s Impact on our Kids.” There will be a special emphasis on teaching kids to filter media choices, handle cyberbullying and pornography.
Kids And Smartphone Addiction. . A Helpful Infographic. . .
They were outside in the driveway playing basketball. I saw them last week as I drove through a local neighborhood. Two boys. . . elementary-aged. . . doing what kids everywhere used to do every day after school when the…
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National School Walkout. . . Solutions?
Just like it will happen all over the country, high school and middle students here in our area will be walking out in planned demonstrations today. . .four weeks after the horrible tragedy in Parkland, Florida. Our kids can and…
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Cellphone Addiction. . . A Helpful Infographic. . .
Tethered to our devices. . . that’s what we are. Do we really need to be this connected to our digital tools. . . especially when our digital tools steal our attention from the people in our lives and noble…
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At What Age Should A Child Get A Smartphone? . . . .
Is it my age? My experience? Is it good old common sense? Or, is it some combination of all three? I haven’t yet figured out where its coming from, but “it” is the way that I’m teetering very close to…
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No Thanksgiving Eat And Show! . . . A Smartphone Challenge. . .
Whenever we’d sing it we knew Thanksgiving was on its way. It was the standard Thanksgiving hymn from my childhood: “We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing. . . ” I suppose most of us will be gathering together…
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Social Media. . . And The Sharing Of Ignorant Noise. . .
Regrets. . . I’ve had a few. . . well, more than few. The older I get, the more I realize that my default setting is to be and do in ways that lead to a hindsight oftentimes filled with…
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