Smartphone Technology
A Special Note...
Giving Tuesday is just 4 days away!
During his week serving with us, Joe experienced God redeeming some of his own struggles, both with sin and with a deep personal loss of someone very close to him. “What I found was that even though we were there to encourage the kids, I was encouraged. It was crazy seeing how God used my testimony and the testimony of my team members to speak into the lives of so many young people. Many times throughout the week, I found myself spending late nights digging into scripture to give biblical answers to deep and difficult questions asked by my journal partner. Spending a week alongside Matt Huffman and the team is an experience I will never forget, and it has forever changed the way I view my testimony and the struggles I’ve had in life.”
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Worth Your Time!
Resource Recommendations to Help You Parent and Mentor Most Effectively
This Week's Recommendation:
Bark Technologies App, Phone, and Social Media
Check Out Bark Here
Why It Matters:
When they get their first smartphone, preteens/teens gain access to the world – and, equally concerning, the world gains access to them. Inappropriate content, cyberbullying and harassment, predators, and online addiction are just some of the concerns.
The Bark App (and the Bark Phone, which has been named one of Time’s Best Inventions of 2023 and received the PCMag Editor's Choice Award) is a modern solution using current technology, including AI. It takes a very different approach from traditional one-size-fits-all monitoring/filtering/blocking options, and it can spark important and timely conversations between parents and youth.
How to Use It
First, recognize the problems of just handing a preteen/teen a smartphone. If we don't recognize the problems, we won't see the need for solutions like Bark. A simple Google search provides plenty of informative articles and videos, as well as real-life horror stories of ordinary people.
If you decide to use Bark, be prepared for pushback. Most teens simply will not like anything other than unfettered and unmonitored phone use; however, as someone said recently, would you drop a 15-year-old in [insert any crime-ridden area] at midnight by themselves?
Be prepared to hear the words, “You don’t trust me!” It’s not necessarily about whether you trust them. Even if you trust a teen 100%, do you trust the actions and intentions of everyone who interacts with them online?
It’s never too late to begin using something like Bark. It may be more difficult, but you can go backwards if necessary. (Read Andrea Davis’ story here.)
Use Bark’s flexibility as a teen matures. Increase their freedom over time to set them up for success as an adult.
Grandparents and Mentors: Learn about Bark and other options and spread the word to parents that you know. Many adults are unaware of useful apps and phones like this.
Follow Bark on Instagram or Facebook, even if you don’t decide to use their products. The content is informative and useful for anyone who interacts with youth.
Remember that a quality relationship, with open conversation, is always important with topics like this. Make sure teens know that any decision you make is based on love for them!
Check Out Bark Here