EMAIL 1
Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.
Subject Line: Leading the Way in The Digital World
Dear Parents,
As we all move through life, there is no doubt that we live in an increasingly predominant digital world. We rely on technology and our devices for so many things, and our kids are quickly getting reeled into this space. If we’re not careful, we can settle into patterns and rhythms that are unhealthy and allow our kids to do the same. Sure, the technology we have can be helpful and enhance our lives in big ways. It can also lead us and our kids to some dark places we never intended to go. If we want four our family to have healthy habits and perspectives, we need to be proactive in our approach to this area of life.
This month, we encourage you to carefully consider how you are allowing your kids to wade into the digital waters of today. Our Online Parenting Class will both encourage and challenge you as you seek to discern how to deal with the wave of technology that we seemingly cannot avoid. There are certain decisions you can make now that will help your kids get on the right track when it comes to how they view and interact with devices. It’s not always an easy road to travel, but you must create boundaries and pay close attention to what your kids are exposed to. There is so much formation going on in their little brains, and you need to understand how to help them develop in the healthiest way possible.
To watch this month’s Online Parenting Class video, click the link below.
[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASSÂ VIDEO ]
You can do this! We are always here for you if you need us.
Cheering you on,
[ INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE ]
EMAIL 2
Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.
Subject Line: Technology, Social Media, and A Big Question
Dear Parents,
There is no doubt that the technology we use in the world today does a lot for us. It helps us be more efficient, it keeps our lives relatively straight, and it offers us a lot of entertainment options. It answers a lot of questions and solves a lot of our problems. On the other hand, it also creates some issues and questions that we need to face, especially when it comes to how our kids are interacting with and being influenced by it all.
This month, we want to provide you with some extra resources that will help you ask the questions you need to ask and take the time to discern how your family should navigate it all. We can easily slide into what feels normal or what everyone else is doing without taking the time to evaluate what might be best for our kids in the long run. This month’s Online Parenting Class could be a helpful tool for you as you think about this area of life.
Our Parent Toolbox Resource is another short video that deals with one of the biggest questions that parents are asking today when it comes to technology. “When should I let my kid on social media?” It’s a difficult question with no clear answer and lots of layers. Our friend Brian Houseman from 360 Family offers a practical suggestion that will give you a lot to think about.
Also, check out “Technology and Your Family: Establishing Healthy Boundaries.” This is an article that will put some handles around how you can lead your kids in their use of technology. Oh, and if you haven’t watched this month’s Online Parent Video, you can still access it.
To read the blog article or watch the video, click on the links below.
[ INSERT LINK TO M2P PARENTING BLOGÂ ARTICLE ]
[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING CLASSÂ VIDEO ]
We are in this together! Let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your family.
Praying for you as you lead at home,
[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]
M2P March KIDS Parent Video Script
As I work with parents at both my church and at other churches, there seems to be one topic that they have a lot of questions about and are not quite sure how to navigate. I can remember trying to figure out what to think and what to do with technology, devices, phones, and social media. Now, for some of you, having to deal with big issues around this topic may be a few years away, but all of us can agree that our kids are growing up in a digital ag,e and there is no going back. I’ve seen a lot of parents just kind of slide their kids into different parts of the digital world with little or no thought about it. It probably took my wife and I a few years to really sit down and think through how we were going to handle it all as a family. I can remember what a game changer it was for us when our firstborn learned how to turn on the TV himself in the morning so we could grab an extra hour or so of sleep. But, at some point, as this digital andevice-filleded wave was coming at our kids, we made some intentional decisions that we thought were best for our kids. I would encourage you to do the same. Don’t fall into the trap of letting your kids go into this world without thinking about it and knowing what the consequences of your decisions might be.
Usually, in videos like this, I say that I want to encourage you as a parent to do a few things. Today, I want to use some stronger language, and I actually want to challenge you. Now, I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, but please believe that I want for your family to be healthy in every way it can, and my challenges come from that place.
Challenge #1 is this.
Make decisions about things in this area when your kids are young, and stick to your decisions. You need to make decisions about things like how much screen time can your kids have, when will they get their own device, how much time do they get on that device, can that device live in their room, and I’m sure a list of other things that you can figure out. Be intentional about how you want your kids to live in this digital world and stick to your boundaries. We decided our kids were not going to get phones until they were in HS, and we told our kids that at an early age. So, when all their friends were getting phones in middle school (and some in elementary school), guess what we didn’t fight about in our house? When they were going to get a phone. We had daily limits on their screen time, and we never let their devices stay overnight in their rooms, a practice we continued through most of high school, by the way. And you know what? Our kids have come back, and they have thanked us for the fact that they didn’t have to go through a lot of the drama that a device brings at a time when they were not emotionally equipped to deal with it. I believe that on a lot of these decisions, the longer you wait, the better, and the less time your kids have on these devices, is better.
Challenge #2
Walk away from your device. Put down the phone. Model having healthy digital habits and give your kids the time and attention they need without having to check your device every so often. Our kids are smart, and they know when we are only giving them partial attention. When our kids were young, there was a night when I was waiting on a message that I thought was important. We were having dinner, and my phone was on the counter across the room. And when the notification came in, and I went over to check it, my son referenced a phrase he had heard and said, “Dad, device-free dinner?” Step away from the phone, give yourself some time to be alone with your own thoughts, and give your family the attention they need.
And here’s challenge #3 – and this might be the hardest one … this is the one where you say, “Who are you to say that to me?” Sorry.
Please don’t let technology take the place of your parenting, and don’t look at it as a way to make life easier for you. I get it; parenting is hard and exhausting, and our kids require a lot of attention. But here’s the thing … like I mentioned a moment ago, our kids need a lot of our attention. Sure, there are times when parents just need a break, and I’ve been there, but maybe instead of handing your kid a phone or a tablet when you’re at dinner in a restaurant, you have a conversation, and you talk about what you see in the restaurant if they’re young or you talk about how school is going or their favorite sport or literally ANYTHING! Build the habit of just talking and having conversations so that when your kids get older, they’ll be used to talking and having conversations. I promise you want to be the primary entity that interacts with your children, not some screen or device. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking they need a phone so they can text you when it’s time for you to come get them from an event or practice. Maybe be OK with sitting in the parking lot for a few minutes or teach them to be OK with having to wait until you get there. Sure, if everyone has a phone life might be more efficient, but I would ask, “At what cost?” What’s the cost to their mental and emotional development, and what’s the cost to your family interaction?
I beg you. When it comes to how your family navigates technology, devices, screen time, and everything that comes with living in a digital world, do your research, make wise choices, not easy ones. And lead your kids into a healthy perspective and healthy habits in this area of life. Don’t just slide into what feels “normal” and what seems efficient. Embrace what’s best and lead your family there.