Teens do a lot of empty-headed communicating, especially by cell phone, IM, Facebook and text. In fact, it’s not unusual to see a group of teens sitting in the same room, sending text-messages to one another, instead of just having normal conversations!

Yeah, this new generation knows how to communicate, and they have every device imaginable to stay in touch. BUT they don’t always know how to make a personal connection. It’s not something they’ll learn, unless you make a point to teach them.

So open your home for an evening of food and fun, playing board games, creating something, or just talking. Challenge them to leave their cell phones in their pockets.

Look for ways to model for your teen the value of connecting with friends and family, without defaulting to their electronics.

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