iParent – Parenting a Generation That Thinks “i” Shouldn’t be Capitalized

Chances are if you are a parent of a teen or pre-teen today, your first cell phone came sometime in your late 20s or early 30s. Your first email address had AOL after it. And you might remember what it was like to have to heat leftovers on the stove instead of a microwave.

Every generation of parents has had to deal with subtle changes in culture and the inevitable generation gap. However, there has never been a time in history when culture and technology has changed so rapidly. As parents, we are raising the first generation of children who have never known life without a personal screen of some kind.

Unless we are intentional about embracing technology and using it to our advantage, our families are in danger of being swallowed up by it. Apple™ and Microsoft™ keep making it and our culture, of which we are a part, keeps buying it off of the shelves and demanding more, and bigger, and better, and faster. At the same time we wonder where the lines are and if there is anyone else who has concerns about the effects all this technology is having on our society and on our families.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and so many more websites seem to be made for teens, and if they are made for teens then they must be OK, right? What’s the big deal about age limits? Cyber-bullying – surely not my child? Now that my child is a teen, she doesn’t need as many rules for the computer right?   If you have ever thought or asked these questions, this class might be for you. If you are a grandparent, parent, future parent, or just curious about all this stuff, this class may be for you.

On Sunday mornings at the beginning of this summer, Mike & Lee Ann Brown will explore the impact that technology is having on all families – especially Lafayette families. How can technology affect our relationship with Christ and with one another? What are some boundaries we need to put into place for ourselves and our families so that we may honor Christ with our time, attention, and resources?

This will be a practical class. Bring your iPads, computers, and smartphones – we will try to put them to work for our good. We will be sharing some multimedia programs that will spark discussion. We will loosely use the book “Tech Savvy Parenting” by Brian Housman which is recommended reading before the class begins.