media.faith.culture: Parents 101

Book excerpt: Growing up, we didn't have the Internet, our friends didn't cut themselves and text messaging wasn't even on the radar. Today's young people are bombarded by media of all kinds, and have instant access to any subject and any topic of their choosing. Their media-saturated lives are inescapably inundated by chat rooms, movies, instant messaging and their ipods. How do we help guide our children to live Godly lives amidst this kind of cultural climate? Brett Ullman discusses, from a parent's perspective, sensitive topics affecting today's young people including cutting, suicide, substance abuse, sex and violence. Bringing hope and an awareness to today's parents, Brett sheds light on how with increased knowledge of youth trends, adults can be more discerning in their parenting strategies and better able to anticipate the needs of their children as they navigate the often challenging waters of adolescence.