Last weekend, my wife and I discovered our phones were running much slower than normal. We decided to go to the local AT&T store and see if we could wipe them of their content or if we were just out of luck. It turned out not be our lucky day, so we ended up having to upgrade. While waiting for our upgrade to be finished, my 4-year-old, Raegan turned to me and said, “Daddy, I want a phone too.” We laughed and jokingly said you will soon, but it left me wondering a multitude of questions. When will that be? When will I feel the pressure to allow my daughter to have her own phone? How do I make sure she is safe while using it? I didn’t have a cell phone until I purchased my own Tracphone at the age of 16 but now, I am seeing kids with cell phones far younger than I was.
Most people who know me would say that I am pretty tech savvy and can find my way around most of todays technology. I am usually pretty up to date with the safety features on devices and the apps I use. The other day I was using my SnapChat and realized that they snuck in a new tab in the latest update called, “My Eyes Only.” It allows pictures and videos to be hidden behind a passcode. I was shocked that this was uploaded “under the rug” and that it was so easy to just miss. SnapChat is on course to be the number one social media platform in 2021 used by younger generations; it’s where big businesses are spending the majority of their ad money.
These are just a couple of examples of how culture and technology is changing and how fast it is changing. It can be overwhelming to navigate it alone and it can quickly become an uphill battle. At Redland Hills church we want to empower parents overcome the battle and level the playing field. We want you to know you are not alone and that there are parents just like you, asking the same questions. On February 20th from 9:30 AM – 12 PM, our Parent Tech Workshop, “Navigating A Digital World,” will help you answer questions that you’re asking, give you practical ways to navigate the digital world and meet other parents who are asking the same questions.
You can register by clicking here