Brave Parenting

Have you ever answered someone’s “How are you?” question with “Busy”? Today, we aim to define the difference between busyness and productivity and seek to honestly answer how much of that would change if our media/screen/entertainment time went down (or away completely).  The word of God tells us we are to “be careful how we live, not as unwise but wise, making use of every opportunity because the days are evil” (Eph 5:15-16). Therefore, our “careful” approach to living should involve scrutiny of where and how we spend our time.

This episode was a requested topic by a Youth Pastor who recognized all of the church’s families were becoming too “busy” for church.

Articles referenced:

BlueLetter Bible

Scripture referenced:

Ephesians 5:15-16

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Today we are talking about some recent news headlines surrounding social media and the culture it breeds. How do parents handle Snapchat? Do you know what the new research reveals about teens notifications? Why are Gen Z young adults so lonely? Should I got to college to be an influencer? All of this from a biblical worldview.

Articles Referenced:

Should I let my kid use Snapchat?

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Continuing our conversation about baby and toddler screen time, today we have Dr. Vivian Carlin providing her expert insight as a pediatrician. We discuss the potential benefits and detriments of consistent screen time at young ages (whether that be television, iPads, smartphones, or video games). Dr. Carlin explains the nuances of research out there and provides practical ways parents can navigate the ubiquity of screens while raising young children.

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In today’s episode, we’re reflecting on and wading through the murky waters of screen time for our youngest kiddos. We look at the pros and cons of screen time for babies and toddlers and discuss the nuanced nature of scientific research surrounding this topic. As online media and screen technology continue to advance at a rapid speed, this topic isn’t as black and white as we’d like it to be, but the word of God is sufficient to help us.

Overall, we want to encourage every parent to simply consider whether the screen time is a Win-Win for you and the child or a Win-Lose (where you win, but they lose).

Scripture referenced:

Ephesians 6:4

Articles referenced:

World Health Organization recommendations

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This week, we are sharing our best practices for giving kids smartwatches. Are they appropriate? At what age? What type of watch is best for kids? We’ve got answers to all these questions and more. We also analyze the narrative surrounding smartwatches on parenting websites and blogs through a biblical lens.

Scripture referenced:

Psalm 119:11

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In this episode, Kelly discusses the WHY of boundaries and restrictions for media and internet-connected devices. Parents, you must know the WHY before you can APPLY. Otherwise, when it gets tough, you’ll give up. Also, Kelly reviews the best kid-safe smartphone for parents to consider and reviews all of Brave Parenting’s best practices for boundaries and restrictions for the devices in your home.

Bottom line: We cannot be afraid of our kids! Don’t fear their anger at you for enforcing boundaries or fear they will find a way to access the internet regardless. We must fear God and be good stewards of our children’s souls.

Scripture referenced:

Matthew 16:26

Books referenced:

The Toxic War on Masculinity">The Toxic War on Masculinity by Nancey Pearcey

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While it seems like Gen Z has lost their faith and their way, we have another guest today who will shatter that presumption. Sam Langenbahn is finishing his senior year at Texas A&M while simultaneously in seminary at Dallas Theological Seminary. He shares with us how his home life growing up: learning to study Scripture, praying as a family, attending and serving in church, and (you guessed it!) limited access to social media helped shape his faith and, ultimately, his calling into full-time ministry.

Sam has a ton of wisdom and insight to share; you will love him!

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Every small, next, right step parents take to help raise their children in the knowledge and discipline of the Lord makes an impact. If that’s prayer, if it’s family devotionals, Bible reading, or if that step is private school or home curriculum on worldview or theology – every bit of that adds to the foundation of a child’s faith.

Today, our Gen Z ambassador Mary Katherine is back talking about how God used her parent’s faith and dedication to the Church, as well as taking theology classes in high school shaped her strong Christian faith. You don’t have to wait until your child is an adult to move away from Bible “stories” to doctrinal truths and theological training!

Books referenced:

You're Not Enough And That's Okay">You’re Not Enough (And That’s Okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey

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As Christian parents raising children in the knowledge and discipline of the Lord, student and youth ministries serve as a vital adjunct to our kids’ discipleship. What happens, though, when their smartphones and online media content become a stumbling block during student ministry? How can the youth pastor do his job if the phone constantly vies for the kid’s attention? Today we are talking to a youth pastor who has successfully made his youth ministry PHONE FREE. This is a great conversation and it will equip you with immediate action steps to help both your student and your pastor.

Scripture referenced:

Continuing in our SET UP FOR SCHOOl series, today we have the perspective of a Classical Christian private school headmaster. In last week’s episode, we heard a public school perspective on how online media and screen time impact education; check it out if you haven’t already. Asking the same questions today, we think you might be surprised by the similarities and differences between each administrator’s answers. This interview is sure to stimulate conversation, so listen with a friend!

Resources discussed:

Dr. Keith McCurdy: Live Sturdy

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