If you have kids you face the challenge of equipping them in the new media saturated world. We can all relate that we don’t want our child to be “that kid.” You know, the kid who was never guided by his or her parent(s) to develop a filter for life. One of the crucial starting points in equipping a child with a filter is to see the clear and urgent need to help your child. This filter is not only about making God-centered choices, but also learning how to discern the landscape of modern culture. When teens see other teens slamming down media through all means possible, your child better have some perspective that you have poured into them or they could become “that kid.”

To this end, Al Mohler offers some startling statistics in the article, “Like the Air They Breathe” — The Online Life of Kids. The article will provide for you and your child a cultural wake-up call.

Question: When is the best time to start this discussion? At least by 6th grade.

Idea: Have your kids read through this article and then take time to discuss it over dinner. Start with some of the ways you may struggle with this issue. Remember the principle: openness begets openness. Have the kids pick out at least one thing they agree with and one thing they may not agree with. In this way as your child reads they are improving their discernment skills. Also, you will be able to pick up on their feelings related to the study (pro or con) and will give you a gauge of how much work you have in order to better equip your child.

Key: The more hostility you see in the responses of your child, the more they have become addicted to their regular media-fix.

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If you have other suggestions or questions regarding how to develop this type of equipping dynamic in life with your child, feel free to post a comment or contact me via my email. Also, you may want to contact our Director of Student Ministry, Kyle Valencia (kyle,valencia@forGodsfame.org). Kyle is all over student culture issues like this and stands ready to help in any way he can.