from wingdings to emojis

iJ&.!,

Get that?  Well, using wigdings might have been a funny way of typing when we were in high school, but today, communicating with images is the norm.  We seem to have moved from a written form of communication to communicating using images and symbols (emojis).  How do you deal with social media at your house?  I have read a couple of blogs recently that I think are interesting as you think about being connected and how your family uses social media.  In this blog the author discusses three technical advances in the past 20 years: 1. It’s all portable, 2. There’s no time limit, 3. It’s all around.  He follows with part 2, discussing the way kids think about technology: 1. Everything is temporary, 2. We’re image based culture, 3. There are no boundaries, 4. We’ve lost our privacy, 5. The internet is 24/7.  With these realities present in teenage (and adult) culture, we are going to have to adapt as we relate to one another, we as adults can help our kids learn strategies for using technology in a healthy way.  For me, I try to keep in mind that technology and social media are tools for productivity and relating to people, however they should never replace time spent and genuine relationships with real people.  As you think about how you and your family relate to technology and social media I’d love to hear how you strike a balance, what are your “rules or guidelines”?  How can we as a youth ministry help you as you learn about technology and social media and working with your kids?