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By Diana Dworin


Pass the faith


Technology and teenagers F


Parents: Take steps to plug into your young person’s life


or today’s teens, relationships don’t always hinge on face-to- face contact.


Instead, social


media websites such as Facebook and Myspace let youth spark and sustain their friend- ships silently via the Internet. And when it comes to connecting with others, teens are more likely to tap out a private text message than talk on the phone or


ring a doorbell, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. Monitoring the digital lives of tech-savvy teens can be a challenge for many parents, said Andrew H. Arnold, who serves as “tech geek” for the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, a national group of adult youth ministry lead- ers (www.elcaymnet.org). “Technology is a part of life for kids, but parents have a wide variance in their level of comfort with it,” he said. Parents can plug in more effectively to their teens’


online activities when they: • Sign on to social media. Have your teen help you cre- ate a Facebook, Myspace or Twitter account. Ask for their feedback when choosing your “privacy settings,” which control how much of your information is made public. This collaboration can spur conversations about what’s appropriate to share online and what’s best kept private, said Arnold, a pastor of Northridge Lutheran Church, Kalispell, Mont. “It’s important to make sure your kids understand that


their values are reflected in the things they’re posting,” he said. “In a sense, it’s like teaching them an old Sunday school saying: ‘If you wouldn’t say it in front of Jesus or


your grandma, then don’t post it.’ ” • Become friends. When teens designate their parents as “friends” or “followers” on social media sites, moms or dads can view all items posted by or about their sons or daughters. This includes photos, videos and names of their children’s cyber-chums. • Collect passwords. As a condition of using a cell- phone, computer or electronic device, teens should give their parents the passwords they use to access text mes- sages, voice mails, emails and various online accounts. Although parents may choose not to use them, these access codes give moms or dads the option of monitoring their child’s online activities, Arnold said. 


Now what?


Choosing a Bible verse


Q: My son is graduating from high school and I’d like to “give” him a special Bible verse to mark the occasion. What are some ideas?


A: One starting point is to think about the unique character of your child. If your son is an athlete, a dancer or a singer, the Bible contains many verses that include references to those activities. For fur- ther inspiration, borrow a Bible from your church or library that includes a concordance, an alpha- betized list of words found in the Scriptures. A verse of blessing, such Numbers 6:24-26, is also a fitting choice as your son prepares to begin the next chapter of his young life. Share your opinion or story at


www.thelutheran.org. Send questions to diana@ passthefaith. org.


Lutheran mom


Dworin, 41, is a mother of three and a former parenting magazine editor.


June 2011 41


DESIGNPICS


DESIGNPICS


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