USA (MNN) – Screens are shaping more than our kids’ free time.A new study in JAMA Pediatrics linked longer screen time to struggles in school, and emotional and behavioral problems. Another study connected smartphone ownership at age 12 with eating disorder symptoms.
Greg Yoder, president of Keys for Kids Ministries, says, “I think while researchers are careful to explain that the studies don’t necessarily prove that smartphones are causing these problems, the findings really should concern us as parents. Because the question is: who’s discipling our kids?”
(Photo courtesy of Ivan Prokhorov/Unsplash)From social media influencers to gaming platforms, kids are getting messages about identity, relationships, and morality.“There’s all kinds of things that they’re talking about. Maybe some things that us as parents don’t really want our kids to really even dive into, but yet they’re being exposed to it. So some of the messages I think can be harmless, but others are directly opposed to biblical truth.”But avoiding screens altogether may not necessarily be the answer. Yoder reflects, “I think technology itself isn’t really the enemy.
“At Keys for Kids Ministries, we use digital technology. We use it every day. It’s like going into the mission field, right? You go, and you talk to the people that you’re trying to reach the way they want to be reached. Right now, that’s where kids are today.”
For families looking to be more intentional about screen time, Keys for Kids offers both digital and screen-free resources. The ministry’s printed children’s devotionals and Unlocked teen devotionals give young people a way to engage with Scripture away from screens.(Photo courtesy Keys for Kids Ministries)Meanwhile, Keys for Kids is also making the most of technology to reach the next generation.“Through our devotionals, our radio program,…and our online resources, we’re using the same technology to communicate biblical truths to kids,” says Yoder.Pray for wisdom as Christian parents navigate technology and disciple their children in biblical truth.Connect with Keys for Kids resources at keysforkids.org. Header photo courtesy of Sanket Mishra/Unsplash.
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