Parents, the teen years are full of change and emotional ups and downs. I want to encourage you to take your teenagers shifting emotions seriously. I caved in far too often to the temptation to write off my teenagers’ emotions as silly and childish. My insensitivity communicated not only that I didn’t care, but that I was rejecting them. What I eventually learned is that my kids’ emotional resilience depended greatly on the relationship they had with us as parents. They needed us to hang in there with them and to love them despite the emotional highs and lows over what to us, as adults, seemed like trivial stuff. What may seem like an overreaction to us is in reality them handling their lives in the best way they know how. Our job is to realize that they’re not yet adults. They don’t have our maturity. They’re on their way. . . and we need to be sensitive and loving if we are going to fulfill our role to lead them to an emotionally stable adulthood.

If it hasn’t yet happened to you, chances are very good that it will. You learn that both you and another person purchased the same item at the same place at the same time, and yet the prices you paid were not the same. Surveillance pricing is the practice of using artificial intelligence technologies and consumer data collection to set individualized prices for goods and services. Also known as dynamic pricing, algorithmic pricing, and personalized pricing, companies change prices based on a persons browsing history, location, and device type. In addition, technology is being used to discover your willingness to pay, which is a strategy used to identify the highest possible price an individual will accept before abandoning the purchase. The reality is that these new marketing techniques are being used to sell to you and your kids. Parents, talk to your kids about these tactics and point them out when you see them. In addition, join the effort to enact legislation to end the practice.

Remember flunking a test? Getting cut from a team? Getting caught drinking? Crossing sexual boundaries? Wrecking the family car? Having to attend summer school? Do you remember hating those moments, feeling like your life was crashing down quickly, and desperately wanting to snap your fingers to make it all disappear? Chances are that you now look back on those times of failure as watershed moments in your life where you learned great lessons, where God helped you make directional adjustments that had a positive impact on your life, where you learned more about your God-given gifts and abilities, and where you learned great lessons in handling hardship. Your kids are going to fail and feel like failures at some point during their adolescent years. In fact, they will fail many times over. Walk through those failures with them by listening to their pain, processing that pain with them, sharing stories of how you learned from your own failures, and offering an eternal perspective on how God grows us through our failures.

Sadly and not surprisingly, scammers are employing all the latest technological tools to steal money and identities. One of the latest tactics our kids need to know about is what’s called voice phishing, or vishing. It’s a scam that uses Ai technology to clone and mimic the voices of someone you know in order to trick and manipulate you into sharing sensitive information or getting you to transfer funds. Cybersecurity experts report that these vishing attacks have increased by four hundred and forty two percent over the course of the last year. That voice that sounds familiar may not be who you think it is. Scammers are using traditional phone calls, messaging apps, social media apps, and text messages to get you to take the bait, bite, and respond by compromising your personal information. Your family should create a secret word or phrase to use if you suspect you are being victimized. Ask the caller for the password, and if they can’t give it to you, you’re being scammed.

“Home is where the heart is.” That cliché is a great descriptor of the way that a little child’s life revolves around family and home. Then, the teenage years arrive and something begins to change. Because they are now growing up, teenagers begin the process of disengaging from the kind of ties they’ve had with you as they begin to focus more and more time on building relationships with their peers. Even though the shift is normal, it can be quite painful to watch your kids trade family time for friend time. These new relationships with friends serve as a bridge between the dependence of childhood and the independence of adulthood. But never, never, never forget this fact: You are still vital! Research and observation have shown that we must remain engaged and available to our teens. Teens whose parents are absent from their lives as a result of choice or circumstance are teens who hurt deeply. You are important and significant in their lives!

All this week we’ve been looking at the recent Surgeon General’s warning on the Harms of Screen Use in the lives of our children and teenagers. One of the valuable aspects of the report is the list of recommended steps we can take in our homes to reduce screen time and all of the negative effects. The report suggests five “Ds”. First, discuss screens, social media, and the negative effects with your kids. Set clear expectations for your kids regarding healthy screen use. Second, you need to do. This means modeling the very screen use behaviors you want to see in your kids. Third, delay screen time from the earliest age and for as long as possible. Then, set clear boundaries on time, place, and content. Fourth, divert your kids away from their screens by providing alternative activities, such as chores, homework, music, and play. Finally, disconnect from your screens, especially at meals and other times when your family is together. Let’s Detox from screens as a family!

All this week we’re looking at the recent Surgeon General’s warning on the Harms of Screen Use in the lives of our children and teenagers. If you’re a parent whose been wondering about the effects of screen time on your kids, I encourage you to pause and think about exercising your God-given responsibility to nurture your kids well by setting clear borders and boundaries on screen time. The advisory tells us that in teenagers there are clear mental health and behavioral concerns related to social media use. Higher screen time is linked to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and body image concerns. Researchers have found clear links to higher levels of family conflict, aggression, poor relationships with friends, and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. In addition, almost half of all teens have experienced cyber-bullying. Parents, our highest calling it to lead our kids into a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. Are you allowing screens to become an idol in your home?

All this week we’re looking at the recent Surgeon General’s warning on the Harms of Screen Use in the lives of our children and teenagers. The report tells us that the content our kids see on their screens matters, and screen use is most likely to cause harm to children and adolescents when one or more of the following content features is present. First, the content is designed to increase use through features like rewards, which encourage daily play and prompt the algorithms fed to our kids. Second, some content promotes risky behaviors like self-harm, disordered eating, violent behavior, substance abuse, sexual practices, or viral social media challenges. Third, there’s the ever present danger of interaction with strangers and predators who use social media and gaming to exploit, abuse, traffic, and sextort our kids. Fourth, there’s the collection of data about our kids that is then used to manipulate the content they’re exposed to. Finally, there’s the danger of exposure to pornography.

All this week we’re looking at the recent Surgeon General’s warning on the Harms of Screen Use in the lives of our children and teenagers. The advisory says that screen use may be harmful when a child loses control over their screen use, and warning signs of compulsive behavior begin to manifest in our child’s life. Parents, are you seeing any of the following warning signs? Spending too much time on screens or constantly thinking about them. Repeatedly asking to use screens, often while whining, crying, or sulking. Using screens to feel better and becoming upset or moody when screen time ends. Hiding or lying about screen use. Getting defensive when asked about screen use. Trying unsuccessfully to reduce screen use. Showing symptoms of withdrawal when screens are not available. Prioritizing screen time over responsibilities, family time, and other activities. And finally, continuing to engage with their screens despite the disciplinary negative consequences.

Late last Spring, the United States Surgeon General issued an advisory warning regarding how to protect children and teens from the harms of screen use. The advisory tells us “harmful screen use among children and adolescents has become a public health concern”, with screen exposure often beginning before a child’s first birthday and then increasing as children age. In fact, by the time they reach adolescence, children may spend more time on screens than sleeping or attending school. If you’re a parent, I’m sure you’re aware of the many ways screen use is affecting your kids, and it’s usually not in a positive manner. The advisory warns us that “harmful screen use, particularly on social media is linked to developmental, mental, and physical health challenges and poor educational outcomes.” Parents, because God has called us to protect our children from harm, we’ll be spending each day this week learning more about the Surgeon General’s advisory.