Connected Christian Parenting in an Age of IM and MySpace
by Peggy Kendall
Raising children in these modern times has become even more complicated by the internet and all of the new technology that goes along with it. The author is an associate professor of communication studies at Bethel University. As such, she has a wonderful source of information to find out what young people are thinking, how they use the technology, what they wish their parents would have done when they were in their early teenage years, etc.
The book begins with one of the “oldest” forms of communication technology, Instant Messaging. She explains what it’s all about, how young people IM and explains the “art” of instant messaging. There’s a whole separate culture involved. It’s a means that teens use to hang out with their friends while they do homework, watch TV, or listen to music. She explains the special language that they use and includes some of the most common abbreviations and those parents need to understand the most.
She then moves on to social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. These can be very helpful to teens as they try to navigate through school and relationships, but it can also be a mine field. The author explains the history of MySpace then goes on to explain the different ways that teens use it.
After a basic description of social networking sites and how teens use them she devotes the next chapter to the good that these sites can do. She shows that these sites can help build friendships, identity, Christian relationships, etc. But as with so many things on the internet, there is a bad side. She devotes the next chapter to giving parents information and tools to help their teen see and understand the dangers that these types of sites can contain. She wants parents to have open communication with their teens so that if something does go wrong, if the teen is being harassed online or if the teen has fallen into temptation and has done bad things on the internet, that the teen knows that the parents are still there, that they won’t overreact and pull the plug, but will help and work with the teen to get on the right track again.
Parents can be very intimidated when it comes to the internet because so often they feel that the teens know so much more than they do about it. So the author’s last chapter contains information that parents need to overcome this fear.
The author concludes with a postscript about YouTube. Once again it can be used for good, but there are pitfalls contained in it, also.
The appendixes at the end contain a lot of information. She includes abbreviations that are used in IMing, parent resource websites, social networking sites (including Christian sites) and an online glossary.
I found this book very informative and feel that it is a must read for parents. Children are going to be using this technology either in the home or after they leave the home. It’s inevitable. The best way to prepare children is to teach them how to use the internet safely. Give them the tools they need from little on. The book contains discussion questions at the end of every chapter to help you get started in your discussions with your children. The internet is here to stay. Give your children the tools they need to use it wisely!
Reviewed by Lynn Worley
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