From Pastor Bill

As the new school year begins, may I offer a word of instruction and encouragement to our parents and grandparents?  It is quite common for me to hear people complain about how they were reared by overly-protective parents, but this often leads to an over-reaction, which is also wrong.  That is, in an effort not to “hover, smother, and coddle,” sometimes we go to the opposite extreme of not protecting enough!

With this in mind, let’s consider the effect of an under-protective family environment in a day of sexting and Facebook, bullying in schools, internet porn, cutting, and hooking up.  I am afraid that when our children and grandchildren need to be more protected than ever before, they are met with a parenting culture that is less protective than ever! The fact of the matter is, children need godly, parental maturity from parents who are informed, involved, loving, and in charge!  Children are not little adults; they are children!

So, parents, here are a few rules that you should instill in your home with respect to your kids and technology:

• Limit their phone minutes, texts, and online hours. Don’t let it take over their lives.
• Try to review movies that they plan to view.
• Don’t let them sleep with their cell phone under their pillows or by their beds.Phones should be turned off at bedtime.
• Don’t allow cell phones at the dinner table.
• Tell your kids not to share their passwords with their friends, not even their best friends.
• Keep all computer use in a public area.
• Don’t let them be on Facebook unless they friend you. 

Ignoring these simple guidelines will rob your children of their happy, innocent, childhood.  In fact, it will evaporate! 

Devotedly your pastor,

Bill Blanchard