Tech Limits
- The more time kids spend using screens from ages 9 to 11 years old, the higher their odds of suicidal behaviors two years later, at ages 11 to 13. Specifically, each additional hour of screen time increased the risk by 9%. The risk was highest with texting, followed by video chatting, watching videos, and playing video games.
- Mental health outcomes were significantly better the older the young person was when they got a smartphone
- Adolescent self-harm episodes have increased since 2010.
- MRI scans of young children show screen time reduces the size of the brain areas responsible for visual processing, empathy, attention, complex memory, and early reading skills.
Protect from Pornography
- Pornography is a disrupter of discipleship. And it's a powerful one! It is not if your child will see pornography, it's often when. Depending on the studies, 75-97% of boys 12-17 have seen pornographic images.
- The average age of exposure to pornographic online images is in the upper elementary years.
- Parents can bring the issue of pornography out into the open by having brief age-appropriate drip conversations -10 conversations by age 10 to be exact! When your child sees something inappropriate, it can then be brought into the open and discussed.
- If your kids are young, conversations should start around age 5. See the dialogues below that you can easily have with a 5-year-old without even mentioning the word pornography.
- If your kids are older than 5, have the conversation this week, even if they are teens.
*We have the Good Pictures, Bad Pictures books in our GBC Library.
Tech-Ready Home
You protect your child's physical safety. You protect their health. Yet electronic devices bring addictions and content into the home that our kids may never otherwise come into contact with. We strongly encourage parents to be proactive rather than responsive. Take steps to ensure your home is ready for your kids.