Meet the team today! Logan, Courtney, Reesey, and Jason are on the road right now in Texas, and they're bringing you The Culture Translator this week from...what sounds like a water-side cafe. (Drop a comment if you're interested in joining a traveling team some day and speaking about these topics around the world!)

1) It's almost too easy to scare-monger with the topic of suicide, and we don't want to do that, but it MUST be acknowledged that the rates of teen (and younger) suicide are rising sharply over the last couple years (see article for more articulate stats: https://axis.org/vol-3-issue-42/)

If you're not talking about the stresses, pressures, and anxiety that seem overwhelmingly prevalent in the teen life today and causes/cures behind it with the teens in your world - please start today. Here's a little tool to help. https://axis.org/suicidepreview

2) Juuling, e-cigaretts, and vaping. It's a "brave new world" (Aldous Huxley, anyone?)

Please hear we're not preaching agains the evils of smoking with this section. "Smoking won't send you to hell, it'll just make you smell like you been there, Amen?" said a parody of a Southern preacher once...but parodies aside - there's a great deal of "the good life" discussion, peer pressure, what is "cool," and health/mind/body that can be brought in to this topic with your teen.

Ask them about juuling. Do they know what it is? Ever tried it out? Have you ever had a similar experience in your youth with smoking or substances? Here's a great opportunity to lead with vulnerability (and if that's not normal, try something new) and build some trust with your teen.

3) Destiny 2 is a visually spectacular and brand new game released recently. Everybody's loving it and everybody's playing it. It brings up old questions about retreating from reality, intentional sabbath, and how can video games be used well?

"Very good but cursed." - Axis

*** Search #metoo on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram ***

You'll see an immense amount of social media conversation around the topic of sexual harassment. This has emerged strongly in recent weeks as a conversation that stemmed originally from Hollywood circles and celebrities leading the talk to now the everyman and woman.

Check out that article for a more in-depth look at the current climate of the conversation on sexual harassment in the everyday world, how it might change and bring change, and some practicals for engaging this topic of cultural sexual treatment of genders and equality - it's a loaded one! This break down might help: https://axis.org/vol-3-issue-42/

PS - Need help with tricky teenage conversations about culture, substances, technology and sexuality axis.org/guides can help.