Resources

I thought I would pass along a few of interesting stories from Newsweek I came across a while ago about youth culture. They are each a little lengthy, but I think they are very worthwhile reads for parents, particularly if you have girls. What struck me most about all 3 stories was the sense of belonging that all these kids are searching so desperately for. In the "No One to Blame" I thought it was interesting that despite the disagreements over causes and treatment, the one undeniable fact was what an important role supportive families play for success in the battle against anorexia. In the article on cutting, I find it interesting how many of those interviewed described themselves as lonely. "Out of the Shadows" was a sobering reminder to me about the importance of creating a healthy base of support for our kids. I think social networking sites like facebook are in general a great development in our society, but they obviously come with a risk. I know as a teenager, I felt like I was the only one around me trying to live a Christian life. I think groups like "100,00,000 Christians Worship God" could have really encouraged me to stay strong in the faith. On the downside, I think there are many kids out there finding the opposite true as well - that they can find someone on facebook who will condone just about any bad behavior that they may be caught up in. This is particularly troubling with things like eating disorders, self harm and drug abuse.

No One to Blame
Why She Cuts
Out of the Shadows

There are 2 basic reasons I posted these:

1 - To let you be aware of these issues. Hopefully, you will never have to deal with these issues as parents, but if you do, it is good to know a little about them beforehand.

2 - To remind us as we build on this youth ministry together the importance of creating a distinct community (a possible translation of the Greek word, ecclesia that we translate 'church') where teens who are confused or lonely can find love, patience and understanding.

I would love to know what some of you thought about these articles.

I also want to pass along one more resource to you. Homeword.com is a website that gives parents good information about how to talk to teens about issues and has some good insights into what's going on in the world of our kids. They have a free newsletter that you can sign up for that sometimes has some really good stuff.