"How do I help my son get through this ordeal?" he must have been thinking when my dad sat me down and shared what he knew. With confidence he explained that each of the four ghosts in Pac-Man behaved differently; Pinky, Inky and Clyde were easily outmaneuvered. The key to safety was avoiding Blinky's relentless pursuit. Helping kids navigate technology looked very different when I was in second grade. Looking back, the Nintendo Entertainment System was just that: entertainment.
How I wish the biggest threat to my son was four pixelated ghosts and a blue maze! My three year old is growing up in a world immersed in touchscreen technology with unlimited access. Unlike my eight bit Nintendo, mobile devices are capable of far more than just entertainment: access to the internet is just one tap away. Access to the internet means access to everything, and honestly that scares me. Frankly, it should scare you too. Here's a few perspectives to consider:
Since its inception in 2007, Apple has sold over 700 million iPhones
Nearly 40% of kids under the age of two use an iPad before they speak
The average age of first exposure to internet pornography is 11 years
I'm not suggesting that you move your family to a seaside cave in western Oregon and live out your days eating wheat grass pancakes. Avoidance is not the answer. We've seen the influence of the internet increase and become more entwined in our daily lives, it's not going away. The question is "How do I help my kids navigate the internet with integrity while protecting my family?" The answer isn't a simple quick fix, it's a discussion and we want you to be part of it.
On Saturday, September 12th South Lansing Christian Church is hosting the Reveal Seminar. Our goal is to equip parents, educators and student ministry workers to lead children and students toward integrity both online and off. We've invited Dr. Joshua Straub and Dan Lohrmann to ignite the discussion.
We hope that you'll join us as we consider how to best guide our families in this developing digital age. Tickets are available for purchase here, but space is limited.
