For the first time in my life, I became an empty nester this year. And while I miss my five chicks dearly, this season left me with a lot of time and space to think. Ahhh. Sweet, sweet peace. But after bunches of rest, I was ready to fill my time again. I used this opportunity to look beyond the daily hassles of motherhood that once ran me ragged and, instead, focus on the broader picture of parenting. I was able to research and study what’s going on in the parenting world around me. But, unfortunately, what I learned was that the family is under attack.
Parents are in the midst of a great battle. Whether we’ve realized it or not, parts of our culture are waging war against our families—things like sexual self-determination in our children and the rise of the Internet. These things are corrupting our families and breaking our relationships.
We are fighting a great enemy. But take heart! There is hope! Learn to protect your family from these two threats.
1. Rise of the Internet:
• Be aware.
Eighty-seven percent of Americans use the Internet. And it doesn’t stop there. By 2025, scientists are predicting the Internet will be embedded into everything. So if you think your kids are glued to their phones now, you just wait! Because pretty soon even our milk cartons will alert us when our milk has spoiled, and our cars will enlighten us about oncoming traffic. While many of these things will be helpful, we must step back and ask how much we’re willing to sacrifice for convenience. (Start cutting back on screen time now with a NOEL Day!)
• Be armed.
Arming our families against the rise of the Internet means purposefully raising our children to be thinkers—not just followers on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! We must arm them with the knowledge that no technological connection with a computer will ever compare to a physical or emotional connection with someone face-to-face.
5 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe Online
• Be authoritative.
It is our job to reclaim the digital domain. This means parenting in a way that fosters relationships beyond the computer screen. Create boundaries in your family—boundaries that will keep your kids from practically selling their souls to their computers and phones. Then be sure to engage them in reality with conversation, outdoor adventures, and stories at the dinner table.
2. Sexual Self-Determination:
• Be aware.
This theory is driven by the idea that children should have the right to choose their gender and sexuality. This stems from the way so many parents are becoming afraid of over-controlling and over-guiding their kids.
• Be armed.
As parents, we must be careful not to give our kids too much power. Because the fact is: They’re just kids! They aren’t equipped with the emotional or mental maturity necessary to make certain decisions because they lack the wisdom, experience, and ability to do so. It’s up to us to arm ourselves with the facts.
• Be authoritative.
Don’t lose ground in your parenting. Take control and reclaim your position as leader of the family. Reserve the decision making for you and your spouse—making wise choices for your family until your child has demonstrated maturity and responsibility. Giving your child room to grow in the small decisions is perfectly healthy (Here’s how to teach your children to be wise). But it’s important to understand that, until they are older, the biggest decisions belong to you.
Resource: PewResearch Internet Project
