Tech Tween Prayer

Posted by Barbara Baker on Nov 12, 2010 in Family, Media | 4 comments

Using the family iPad

“Mom, my (under aged) friends and cousins are on Facebook. Why can’t I?”

“Dad, may I play this game on the computer?”

“Mom, when do I get a cell phone?”

“Dad, let me show you how to find that on YouTube.”

“Mom, are you going to tweet about that?”

“Dad, I want an XBox 360 with Kinect for Christmas.”

My son is a typical middle school “tween” who knows all about the latest in online technology. He has limited online access, we own various Wii games and we just allowed him to use a cell phone. He mainly uses it to text with his friends.

But I worry. Often.

We allow him to be online and play video games only during the weekends. Similar to my parents with television, we do not let new media interfere with his schoolwork, which at his age is still based on paper, pencils and books.

Learning how to whittle

And this summer, he learned how to whittle when we went camping in Wyoming. Without the computer, television or Wii, he read six books, five more than me!

But I still worry. Will online and technology media overwhelm his young mind? I dread the day he first visits an online porn site. Sites that are not like the magazines my brothers were exposed to when they were teens. Yes. Absolute dread.

Pray for him. And pray for his worrying mom.

Further reading:

Your Family and the Internet article from St. Anthony Messenger magazine

Breaking Free of the Web: Catholics and Internet Addiction book from St. Anthony Messenger Press

About the Author

Barbara Baker

Barbara Baker is Franciscan Media’s Director of marketing, sales and internet. She and her husband work with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Family Life Office at their monthly pre-Cana weekends. Barbara spends too much time with her iPhone.

http://www.americancatholic.org DanK

This is a great reflection on today’s technological realities.

Being a mother is sounds a lot tougher today. All that we could do as children was to make mischief in the neighborhood or at school. Well, OK, I forgot to mention a fight or two.

God bless all parents who work through the tremendous difficulties faced in raising children today. Dan
http://www.americancatholic.org Brandon Kilby

Ha ha! And now he has to worry about being blogged about. I hope he’s whittling something friendly.

I got my first video gaming system (Atari 2600) when I was about seven. I don’t really remember a time without some kind of available electronic device but I still spent most of my time outside with my friends.
http://www.americancatholic.org Barbara Baker

@Dan – Not sure it’s tougher today but it’s different. Thanks for your blessing here.

@Brandon – *sigh* Probably worse than being “tweeted” about. But, FYI, I did ask him and I will show post to him. And thanks for the “outside” encouragement.
Karen Janisch

Different times, different challenges. My teen daughter logs onto Facebook as soon as she get home to “chat” with her friends. I remember coming home after school to monopolize the telephone to chat with my friends! The most powerful intervention we as parents have is monitoring and teaching our children to respect the use of the electronics.