The Duggars and the Evil Outside | TGC

Here’s a great article from The Gospel Coalition website about many parents’ desire to shelter their children.  It is easy to fall into a legalistic mindset that tells us that all of the problems we face as parents are outside our home.  How do you find yourself succumbing to this mentality?

The Duggars and the Evil Outside | TGC.

College Doesn’t Change Your Heart, It Reveals It | Desiring God

Here is a great article about fears that parents have in sending their kids off to college.  “As Paul Tripp might put it, it’s not that college changes your heart as much as reveals it. It isn’t the secularity, or the immorality that is to be feared. According to Jesus, it’s the propensity of our hearts to either want the wrong things or try to anchor themselves in the wrong places. All the while, Jesus is simultaneously the one we’re running from and looking for.”

College Doesn’t Change Your Heart, It Reveals It | Desiring God.

Top Ten Mistakes Christian Parents of Teens Make | Jeff Strong

So I came across this list recently and have to say it is very convicting.  On a professional note, it makes me sad when parents believe that sending their children to a Christian school is going to guarantee their Christian formation without any work done at home.  What do you think of this list?

 

Top Ten Mistakes Christian Parents of Teens Make | Jeff Strong.

Ten Commandments for Using Technology

Tim Challies (whose blog I link to often) recently posted Ten Commandments for using Modern Media, designed to help parents teach their children how to navigate a media-rich world.  While I’m not sure that I would go with all ten, I think that these at least give us a starting place for setting some boundaries as we teach our children how to be wise in the world of technology.  Do you have other “commandments” that are a part of your training process?

The Beginning of Wisdom: Equip your kids to “say no” to porn

Yesterday I posted a link to an article talking about how several things, including porn, fall into the category of superstimuli.  Today I would like to follow up with a post on how, as parents, we should deal with the inevitable eventuality that our kids will encounter pornography.  This article from early May is a great piece of advice for parents wondering how they should prepare their children.  Two points to draw out: 1) start earlier than you think you will need to on discussions about sex, 2) have a culture of confession and repentance in your household.

Supernormal Stimuli: Your Brain On Porn, Junk Food, and the Internet

The website Lifehacker recently posted this article on Supernormal Stimuli.  It is an interesting look at some of the dangers of the most common temptations facing our kids and culture.  I particularly like the quote from C.S. Lewis towards the end of the article: “Only those who resist temptation know how strong it is.”  The author of this article has some good advice on ways to break our dependency and establish a more normal pattern of living.

Serious reading takes a hit from online scanning and skimming, researchers say – The Washington Post

Serious reading takes a hit from online scanning and skimming, researchers say – The Washington Post.

This is an interesting read from the Washington Post.  As we try to teach students to spend time carefully reading, we may be undoing that training in the way that we let them use the internet.  I know that my own attention span is affected when I spend too much time online.  Careful reading is a discipline and one that must be constantly trained in a student for them to be able to enjoy it.

Talking to Your Kids About Porn

Talking to Your Kids About Porn

There is a new article at ByFaith (a Christian news site) that has some great information to help parents talk with their children about pornography.  Here’s an excerpt from the article:

“Parents are failing to notice and address this danger in a way that will protect their children. To give children unrestricted Internet access is like leaving them alone in a large city to find their way. No loving parent would even think of doing such a thing! But many parents are not realistic about the sexual temptation their children are facing. Some refuse to admit their children could be lured by sex at all, while others are overwhelmed and confused by the available technology. To make matters worse, parents rarely bring up the subject of sex, except to say, “Don’t!” or “Wait until you’re married.” This combination leaves children and teens confused about their emerging sexuality and vulnerable to the constant bombardment of sexual material.”

Do Unto Others — Everyone, Everywhere | byFaith

Here is a great article from byFaith about what it means to love our neighbors.  In the context of social media I particularly liked the following quote:

“Before clicking “publish” or “send,” consider what you would want said to you (or about you) and how you would want it said. Pray for a loving heart that looks to the interests of others. Then reread the draft and see if it still seems like the right thing to say.”

There are plenty of good tidbits to share with your kids as you talk to them about what it means to love one another.  Discernment often begins with thinking through issues before they pop up instead of reacting to what has already happened.  Hopefully this article will help.

Do Unto Others — Everyone, Everywhere | byFaith.

Boredom, Entertainment and Learning

Here is a great blog post about boredom and learning.  Note: boredom comes from entertainment, not in its absence. Boredom is for Chumps-Housewife Theologian.