Parenting kids has become more complex today than ever before. The digital explosion of entertainment and social media has created layers and layers of options, opportunities, dangers, and decisions that we must navigate as we do our best to love and lead our children well. Add to all this the Read more…
As parents who love our kids, our aim is to raise them to become fully capable and responsible adults who will strive to make a positive impact on the world around them. Right? And that sort of theoretical statement sounds all great and wonderful when our kids are little. But Read more…
Today’s post is all about celebration. Enjoy the Kool & the Gang tune playing in your head now. You’re welcome! I frequently write about things you can do to improve your relationship with your teen, or things you can do to help get your teen on a better life track. Read more…
Ever see the movie, Groundhog Day? It is a rather insightful story based on a very farfetched premise. Phil Connors (Bill Murray) is a local weatherman who is utterly miserable and discontented with his life. He basically thinks his job is beneath him, and that he should be further along Read more…
“Evan Almighty” has been one of my family’s favorite movies for quite a while. If you’ve never seen this heartwarming family film about God (Morgan Freeman) choosing a modern day Noah named Evan Baxter (Steve Carell), you really should watch it. Through a wild adventure with God, his wife and Read more…
(Photos and collage compliments of Sandra “Sam” Morris, who embodied the spirit of this post as well as anyone I know, and who created this very photo collage as a loving welcome gift to me for my first office in Baton Rouge.) Of all the forms of hatred, violence, and Read more…
Tired of feeling like you’re talking to a brick wall when you try to communicate with your teen? Ranging from fun to fundamental, here are six different ways to shake up the old routine that isn’t working, and help begin a new era of listening and connection at home. 1. Read more…
Now that we have covered some overall dynamics and guidelines regarding parenting your teens in relation to their digital world, let’s take a quick look at some of the major players in the social media app world today: As of today, Snapchat is king of social media for teens. Not Read more…
So, picking up where we left off last week… What specific guidelines should we use with preteens and young teens? Utilize parental device checks as needed. While this does not mean constantly confiscating phones or other devices, it does mean you reserve the right to check out devices anytime you Read more…
In a WHAT kind of world? Technology has now become a primary medium for the social dynamics of adolescence from middle school through college and beyond. Parents MUST understand that digital social media is more than just an important area of our teens’ lives. It has become a dominant force Read more…