RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Children now spend an average of 7 hours a day using technology.  "Play" has moved onto devices.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says this can lead to obesity, erratic sleep patterns and difficulty concentrating.

As kids connectivity to the internet through screens becomes more pervasive, many parents are grappling with how much technology is too much?

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, banned his children from using the iPads and iPods his company produced.  Many parents in the Silicon Vally send their children to screen-free schools.

But other parents believe cutting off their kids from technology will limit their ability to cope with modern life and hinder their future careers.  They do have a point.  Exposure to technology increases our ability to scan and sort information, a skill that's increasingly useful in the modern workplace. 

So where can parents find a balance?

One important distinction to make is the difference between active and passive screen time.  Active screen time involves creating, reading, and interacting with content.  Passive screen time is just vegging out in front of a video or game.

Proponents for active screen time say kids are growing up in a technology environment and will be using it for the rest of their lives.  They want to give their children a solid technological foundation to build upon.

The floor is yours.  
What do you think?  
How much technology is too much?  
What is the best balance?  
Share your thoughts with us the comment section below.

There's a "game" that's exploding across the internet.  It's called "Charlie Charlie" and it blew up Memorial Day weekend, amassing hundreds of thousands of tweets.  Look up #CharlieCharlie on Instagram and you'll see over 50,000 results...most are videos of people playing the "game."

What is the Charlie Charlie game?  You draw an X on a piece of paper, label its quadrants "yes" and "no" and lay two pencils over the lines of the X you drew.  You then say "Charlie Charlie, are you there?"  This is supposed to summon a demon named "Charlie" who comes and moves the pencil to answer your questions.

Here's a video of someone playing the game.



Is this a harmless game?  Is it okay for kids to play?  While I am not one to see a demon lurking behind every corner, I do believe this is a dangerous game and kids should be warned to steer clear.  Anytime you open the door to demonic influence, you're treading on dangerous ground.

Let's teach kids that as followers of Jesus, we're on the winning side.  We're to passionately pursue Him and have no fellowship with the works of darkness.  Bottom line...why try to contact the enemy whose goal is to kill, steal and destroy?