“A habit is a decision that we have made at some point, and we stop making the decision, but continue acting on it,” says Charles Duhigg, an author and a writer at The New Yorker. This man on a mission talks about the importance of building good habits instead of bad ones. He also discusses how to focus on the cue and the routine of the habits that you would like to change. Shockingly, he shares that approximately 70 percent of our daily activities are dictated by habit. “Most things are a decision. It’s happening automatically,” he reveals. Charles also talks about the importance of optimizing communication patterns by reassessing some of the habits that we have formed over the years. “Change the cues that trigger the bad habit,” he encourages.

TAKEAWAYS

When we communicate with others, we should think about how we’re praising them and returning love their direction

What is one habit that YOU would like to change?

What is the cue and what is the reward for your current habits?

If you can identify your cues and routine, you can change your habits and experiment on which ones you’d like to implement

OK TO BLEED

Washington Watch with Tony Perkins

ANGELS

Washington Watch with Tony Perkins

"Everyone needs connection with others,” says Dr. Carol Tanksley. “...That need for intimacy, evil has used to hijack and get us into sex stuff that ends up causing a lot of destruction and shame.” Carol is a licensed OB/GYN, author, podcaster, speaker, and an ordained minister. She talks about the driving factors behind today’s issues of sexploitation and sextortion, which are far more common than people realize. Carol encourages parents to have open and transparent conversations with their children. “Build an awareness and a character in your children long before those moments come,” she posits. She also advocates for parents to have conversations with their kids that are “one level deeper” and to be unafraid of diving right in and talking about things going on in their lives.

TAKEAWAYS

Parents will not be with their kids all the time, so they must prepare their children to have character and awareness

Everyone needs connection and intimacy

Shame isolates us from people and even from God - we have a choice to step into the light and disinfect shame with truth

We need to be having conversations with our children that will help them understand their own needs and desires

WAR ON CHRISTMAS

Riley Basford was a sweet and kind-hearted teen who tragically took his life in 2021 after he was blackmailed by catfishing sextortionists on social media. Riley’s father, Darren, is a School Resource Officer at Potsdam School and is now passionate about warning other kids about the dangers of sharing explicit images of themselves with others. Sextortion occurs when a predator “catfishes” an adult or minor by pretending to be someone they’re not. Once those photos are received, the predator will then use them for blackmail purposes. This can result in tragedy, as it did for Riley. Darren advises that parents should talk openly with their kids and let them know that no matter what happens, they will be there for them - without judgment or shame.

TAKEAWAYS

Riley’s experience with sextortion was very fast: he took his life just one day after meeting the catfishing predator, posing as “Megan”

Don’t get angry with your children if they share something embarrassing with you - let them know that you are there for them

Use BARK to protect your children from social media dangers in your household

Check for red flags among your children: are there any signs that they are experiencing negative social media interactions

Washington Watch with Tony Perkins

South Carolina State Rep. Brandon Guffey tragically lost his young son, Gavin, to suicide. His teenage son was pressured to take his own life after becoming the target of a horrifying “sextortion” plot. Sextortion, Brandon explains, is when someone online pretends to be someone they’re not, pressures someone to take compromising photos or videos of themselves, and then uses that material to blackmail them into giving them something they want - typically, money. They can do this to children as well as adults. Stricken by grief, Rep. Guffey worked hard in the Palmetto State to pass “Gavin’s Law,” which makes sextortion a felony offense (aggravated felony if the victim is a minor). He further explains how easily someone can be targeted by sextortion criminals and how to protect your family from those risks.

TAKEAWAYS

Today’s modern culture normalizes the idea of having online relationships, making kids and teens vulnerable to predators

Sextortionists often ask young girls for images and videos, and they use compromising material to extort boys for money

It’s important to keep your weapons completely locked up and out of reach of any minors in the house

Extortionists often move faster than police do, and they are very difficult to catch