Perfect Time Number 7 is Technology Talk

So, we’ve covered many in person options for you to use to connect with your daughter, but you might be wondering about more common forms of communication. Those type of communication most of us are using on a daily basis to communicate with everyone from business associates to “online” friends. This type of communicating is done via the fabulous ways we know as technology. Text messaging, email, instant messaging, most of us use these forms of communication on a weekly basis, surprisingly these are great ways to communicate with your daughter.

Some people are more open when they are “writing” something rather than speaking it, so your daughter may be more likely to really share with you in the form of a text or email. I have found over the past few months that I am communicating more with family members I did not communicate with as much before they came online and began using such technology as Facebook and email. This has given us a connection that we didn’t have before.

No matter how you choose to do so, choose to connect with your daughter. This very important relationship in both of your lives is worth investing in. Do not let the hours, days, weeks, months and years slip by without connecting with each other. I promise you won’t regret it. I bet you my mom would tell you she doesn’t regreat a minute of the time we spent together.

Winona Parents Invited to Free Presentation

November 23, 2009, Winona, MS – The computers, cell phones and gaming systems that top children and teen’s gift lists this holiday season can present a genuine threat to their health, safety and, in some cases, their lives. Between predators lurking on social networks, sexting scandals and suicide stories, the headlines are full of tales of technology turning to tragedy. Area parents will have the opportunity to learn how to protect their children from these threats that didn’t exist when they were young and be given the tools they need to guide their children through digital world safely, at the free presentation Pro-Tech the Kids with speaker Alyssa Dees Avant on Thursday, December 3rd . The North Winona Baptist Church, located at 602 Alberta Drive, will host the information session starting at 7pm.

“Chances are if your child has access to technology, they are taking risks,” says Avant, professional speaker and founder of Beauty by Design Ministries, “It’s important that parents make themselves aware of the risks and learn how to protect their families to prevent their children from becoming a statistic, or worse yet, a headline.”

Advance registration is requested through the Pro-Tech the kids website, http://pro-techthekids.com.
“Parents will walk away from this presentation aware and empowered,” says Avant, “and that really is what our kids need to be safe.”

Avant’s unique background which combines positions in children and youth ministries, a professional speaking career and the building of a thriving internet business will give parents a thorough overview of the situations their kids are facing on a daily basis and key information on maintaining the safety and privacy of their children.

For more information on Pro-Tech the kids and the risks children face with technology or to arrange an interview contact Alyssa at alyssa@beautybydesignonline.com or call 662.614.0406.

-30-

I was telling a friend about my latest project the other night and he said, “the song that comes to mind immediately is Slow Fade by Casting Crowns.” I agree. He’s right. Our kids are slowly fading, allowing themselves to become entrapped by Satan’s lies and involved in worldly activities that slowly are pulling them away.

My favorite part of this song is the old childhood song I used to sing,

O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little ears what you hear
O be careful little ears what you hear
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little ears what you hear

O be careful little hands what you do
O be careful little hands what you do
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little hands what you do

O be careful little feet where you go
O be careful little feet where you go
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little feet where you go

O be careful little mouth what you say
O be careful little mouth what you say
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little mouth what you say

Our kids are in danger of slow fading, crumbling, our society has such influence and technology is just a tool that the devil can use to lead them astray. I love technology as much as anybody, but I believe that we must PROTECT our kids. We must be PROACTIVE about their security.

We must teach them to “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)

If you want to join me in being PROACTIVE about your kid’s security visit my new site http://Pro-TechtheKids.com and sign up for more info. This Workshop will be LIVE in Winona, Mississippi in December, but will later be available online via video. You can benefit either way.

Facebook and the Internet as a whole is an amazing tool. I’m amazed that in my short lifetime how far we have come in society with technology, but as amazing and awesome as this technology is it can easily be used and abused.

If used inappropriately Facebook and many other places on the Internet can be detrimental to us and especially to teens who unintentionally post things to Facebook not thinking of what the consequences might be.

Unfortunately, many girls use Facebook as a place to display the many pictures that they have taken with family and friends. This may seem like no big deal, but it depends on what the pictures portray that girl doing. Is she at a football game having good clean fun or is she at a wild party complete with booze, smoking and more?

Is she dressed appropriately in the pictures, or is she revealing too much and more than she would truly want someone to see if she gave it a second or maybe even third thought. The Internet is a very public place, even if you make things as private as possible.

My warning to girls is to think before they post. My daddy used to drill into my head, “think before you speak”. I’d like to drill into the heads of tween and teen girls on Facebook, “think before you post your pictures” and think before you post pictures of your friends. You may mean well, but you may be ruining your reputation, the reputation of your friends or even worse, your future.

Recently, I spoke with a childhood friend who had recently been passed over for a very good job because of pictures that someone else had posted of him on Facebook. The pictures portrayed him drinking, out at bars and having a good time. For some they might have been seen as harmless, but for the people who were looking to hire him, they made him seem irresponsible and immature and not a mature adult worthy of becoming their employee.

This proves that people are watching, people are paying attention and what is posted on Facebook is powerful. So my challenge to teens is to be careful. Be sure that what you post is appropriate and that it is something you can be proud of, not something that will come back to haunt you in the future. Also, respect your friends and hold the same standards for what you post of them as well.

Respect yourself, think about your future, and post accordingly.
Connect with me on Facebook.

Fan Beauty by Design Ministries on Facebook.

Little girls, they play dress up, talk to imaginary friends and dream of being grown up. They  create tea parties for their teddy bears, teach an imaginary classroom full of students and build an entire Barbie empire in their bedroom.  Right or are these activities lost in the new age hustle and bustle and avalanche of technology? Are they being replaced by Wii games, dancing to Ipod music and created dream houses on computer games or hand held Nintendo DS systems? 

As good as technology is and as many things as it has allowed us as a society to do, there is a time for it, and then there is a time for letting little girls, be well little girls and there are things that they can learn from good old fashioned activities, such as dress up and tea parties.

As a child the activities I loved the most were the ones that allowed me to use my imagination,  from imaginary friends to teaching a room full of imaginary students in my imaginary classroom known as my bedroom I enjoyed every minute of those times where I used my imagination for play.  Unfortunately, as our children are growing up in an age of technological advances much of this type play is slowly diminishing.

There is something you can do about this.  Limiting your daughter’s time that she uses “technology” to play is important to help her continue to use and grow her imagination.  Plus, she will learn to enjoy those activities that don’t involve technology even more.

As mom and daughter you can enjoy these activities together.  Invite a few friends and their daughters over for a “mother daughter tea party”, play dress up with your daughter allowing her to try on your clothes and fix her up in your makeup,  allow her to enjoy the experience and use it to bond with her.

It is through these special activities that you can get to know your daughter better, that you can see the twinkle in her eyes and you can influence her heart.  It is never too early to begin, as you want her to see you as someone she can have fun with, so that later on in life she will look to you for someone that she can truly learn from and share with every activity she enjoys and every dream that lies within her heart.

photo credit: Donna & Andrew