This is a series of articles on social media and its impact on children, families, and society. The title of the series, “Social Media, What?” the articles will not be an end all to the problem of social media but it will be a resource for parents, educators, and administrators to use when thinking about how to address the concerns that arise with the social media world. follow Tim Euler on Twitter and FaceBook
Articles in the Series:
- “Social Media, What?”
- Understanding Social Media
- The Social Networks
- “Virtual Worlds, Really?”
- Social Gaming – Who Wins?
- Online Safety and Security
- Social Media – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
CFCA Staff,
Thank you very much for the article. No, I didn’t tune it out, and I look forward to the next in the series. I realize the dire straits our kids face daily, and I see how social media is affecting all of us. The challenge is HOW to survive in its midst, amd the first step is to be aware and alert of it’s destructive tendencies. We, as parents, can’t sit back and play dumb about this new technology. We have to learn about it and be a part of what our kids are doing. We need to hold them to high standards, and have accountability checkpoints.
Satan wants our kids, our Christian schools, and our families destroyed. But we have to partner together and unite for Christ. We must encourage one another and build each other up, keep each other accountable, and pray for each other and our kids and staff. We’re in…who’s with us?
May God continue to bless CFCA, the staff, parents and students.
Thank you,
Karen and Mark Muench
Dear Mr. Euler and CFCA staff,
Thank you again for your all your effort in educating us in this area…and/or reminding and encouraging us as parents to stay deliberate, intentional, and purposeful in our parenting. I appreciate these articles immensely and realize it took an enormous amount of effort for you to research and write them. Thank you Mr. Euler. You are humbly and truly being a great HEAD of our school with God’s leading and wisdom. I love the concepts you mentioned…no technology weekends, game nights, knowing passwords, being in the middle of the teen get-togethers, etc. Sometimes it stings, but it’s solid advice.
We’ve practiced many of the things you’ve mentioned in our family for years, and at times were considered oddballs, and suffered ridicule for being too involved in our children’s lives. I’d rather err on the side of over involvement when it comes to raising Kingdom kids…and God can speak to my heart about where to back off and allow more independence. My older girls have actually thanked us for the accountability…it took alot of peer pressure off them because they could easily blame us for why they couldn’t be part of some parties, outings, social network drama, cursing in texts and on fb, texting after a set deadline, sexting, not watching certain TV shows, etc. They may not have thanked us when they felt like the oddball teen with so many rules and their parents so involved, but in hindsight they have told us how it really made them feel loved and protected. That’s a parent’s job…to love, guide and protect. Eventually we were blessed to see them mature enough to “own those values” themselves and stand firm in their beliefs of right and wrong. They suffered and still suffer ridicule for being different, even amongst their christian friends at school and church, but they try to hold true to their high standards. When we as christians begin to overlook and tolerate, Casting Crown’s eloquent lyrics point out that black and white turn to gray and it’s a slow fade giving our life away. Let’s challenge the students at CFCA to not let the lines blur, even if it means being different, unpopular or riduculed. CFCA Eagles are green, gold and black….there is no gray in our school colors! As Shelby, the valedictorian, so eloquently stated last night – when feeling peer persecution, knowing that God and your family loves you is really all that matters.
I know our girls aren’t perfect, and our parenting is very imperfect as well, but perfection is not our goal. The goal in our family is to glorify God in all that we do, learn from our mistakes, bless others, and seek Godly wisdom through his word and through wise and Godly mentors. Successful parenting through the teen years is relying on God’s wisdom and strength, open communication, involvement, accountability, and boundaries. And making opportunities to just sit and listen to our teens. Not judging, just listening. And then seeing what God’s word has to instruct and encourage us in surviving the season called parenthood and being a teen. Your articles included all of this information…now to just earnestly follow it!
I know many times I am exhausted after work and dinner and want to just tune out everyone and everything. It’s easy to slip into a relaxing and SILENT world of facebook, instagram, etc. and then just collapse for a night of sleep only to do it all over again tomorrow. Just typing these lazy words makes me realize that if this is what I did daily, it would grieve the Lord so much. As you stated, part of being a parent is putting aside my own agenda of exhaustion because I’ve been chosen and called by God to be the best parent I can be to my girls with his help. Thank you for the gentle reminder and encouragement to stay tuned to their world, set boundaries, and keep doing some of the tried and true. Rather than being exasperated…let’s be deliberate, intentional, and purposeful! NO GRAY INVOLVED!!!!!
Sincerely grateful,
Karen Muench