Our Kids are Watching

Posted on: 06/8/20 6:38 PM | by Jonathan McKee

This Thursday I’m posting a new article on our PARENTING HELP page helping moms and dads not only talk with their kids about the stressful news they’re seeing and hearing, but also providing them a solid foundation in an otherwise shaky world. Here’s just a snippet of that article…

If you have kids under 18, then the last few weeks…scratch that…months have probably invoked more fear and unrest than they have ever experienced looking at the world around them.

First Covid-19, then the tragic killing of George Floyd, then the outbreak of violence in the streets… all of these issues dividing people instead of united them. Millions of American homes have news channels on right now that aren’t reporting news as much as “casting blame.”

I’ve been alive 50 years, and I’ve never seen our country so divided.

I don’t think many adults are stopping to consider…our kids are watching.

Our Kids are Watching
A black man is killed by a policeman on national TV. Our kids are watching.

Looters throw garbage cans through store windows and carry out televisions. Our kids are watching.

Politicians point their fingers. Our kids are watching.

The world pauses to remember George Floyd, even on kids’ channels. Our kids are watching.

Parents turn on that news station they love so much and watch editorialists shake their heads and point their fingers for hours upon hours. Our kids are watching.

Brands speak out and voice their protests in unique ways. Our kids are watching.

Grampa gets mad at the TV screen and starts casting more blame. Our kids are watching.

What are our kids gleaning from all of this pain, violence, bitterness, and unrest? More importantly, how can we talk with them about all they are observing?

Here is yet another situation where being proactive is always better than being reactive. Right now the entire world is reacting, many acting without thinking. What our kids need is a solid foundation in an otherwise shaky world.

So how can we anchor our kids to this solid foundation?

SUBSCRIBE to our free PARENTING HELP articles at TheSource4Parents.com to receive this entire article Thursday.

Getting Jonathan Screen-to-Screen

Posted on: 05/11/20 5:54 PM | by Jonathan McKee

It’s interesting how things have changed in the last few months, with every single one of my school assemblies, parent workshops, and speaking at conferences postponed. I’ve given more people ZOOM attention in the last 8 weeks than in the last 8 years combined.

So here’s an opportunity to get some screen-to-screen love (which isn’t as good as having me come to your city in person…but on the bright side, it’s literally almost 1/10th the cost).

Click on this page and check out the new ZOOM workshops we’re offering. It’s kinda fun. I jump on one page with a bunch of parents from one church, one school, one organization… give them some fresh help and then answer their questions personally…screen-to-screen.

In short, you can have me do my PARENTING GENERATION SCREEN, or HELPING TEENS WITH SCREENS, or a special Covid-19 “Teen’s & Screen-Time in the Meantime” workshop… all via ZOOM. And you can record it as a resource for your church or organization in the future.

Here’s the thing; if you do this ZOOM workshop I’m throwing in a free coaching session as well. The reason why? Whenever someone brings me to their city I usually sit with them for a meal or two and we get a chance to hang out and talk life, ministry, and the future. So I don’t want people to be robbed of this.

So check out this page and talk with me if you’d like to bring this affordable ZOOM workshop to the parents at your church, school or organization (or just CLICK HERE to contact me about doing a ZOOM workshop for you). Let me know how I can help and let’s connect.

Movies minus the language, violence, etc.

Posted on: 05/4/20 2:13 PM | by Jonathan McKee

If you’re a parent and you like movies, then you might find it difficult to find some “family friendly” movies or shows that are actually appropriate for your kids.

Take Neflix’s Stranger Things for example. Really fun show, creative, well written… but if your kids are 6, 8 and 10, the language and frightening scenes might be a little much.

Or let’s say you nostalgically remember watching Goonies as a teen, so you rent it and stream it on Continue reading “Movies minus the language, violence, etc.”

Talking with Focus about Families Stuck at Home Together

Posted on: 04/17/20 12:17 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Today I’ll be on Focus on the Family’s Daily Broadcast talking about what families can do while stuck home together. Focus President Jim Daly and I talk about some specific ways moms and dads can be proactive about helping their kids through these strange times.

If you turn on your radio to your nearest Christian radio station that plays the daily Focus Broadcast, you’ll hear the conversation (and you can look up which station HERE). Or you can stream the broadcast Continue reading “Talking with Focus about Families Stuck at Home Together”

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On Your Radio and YouTube Today

Posted on: 03/4/20 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Today I’ll be on Focus on the Family’s Daily Broadcast talking about how we can help today’s distracted young guys (a subject I’ve written a lot about recently).

Focus President Jim Daly, John Fuller and I talk about some of the distractions today’s guys are facing (especially in a world where 79% of them bring their phone to the bedroom with them each night… yikes), and how we can respond as parents Continue reading “On Your Radio and YouTube Today”

Teaching kids to think about their media decisions

Posted on: 01/27/20 1:16 PM | by Jonathan McKee

I just posted Episode 19 of our fun little “Parent Tips” podcast… and you won’t want to miss this one.

I recorded this episode at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs a couple weeks ago when I was with the Plugged In team recording some episodes of their “Plugged In Show” (another podcast show I’m a part of… I’ll probably post more about this very soon). And honestly, I’ve been enjoying their perspective so much that I decided to interview them and ask them some direct questions like:

Plugged In used to be a place where parents almost looked for a simple YES or NO whether or not to watch a movie or TV show Continue reading “Teaching kids to think about their media decisions”

Our Top Kid-friendly Video Games of 2019

Posted on: 12/12/19 10:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Great guest post by our TheSource4Parents.com video game reviewer, Naomi Norbez!

2019 has been quite a year, especially for video games.  From new indie titles to massive triple-A series, it’s been a blast looking at all the latest releases.

But of all those games, which ones are the best for your kids?  Here’s a list of the top games I recommend, out of all the ones I looked at in 2019.  These are the ones your young one can play, with no worries for you as a parent Continue reading “Our Top Kid-friendly Video Games of 2019”

A fun new podcast

Posted on: 12/3/19 3:31 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Disney Princesses, Hallmark films, giving your kids screens…. these are all topics we’re talking about in a new podcast I’m a part of.

The podcast is called The Plugged In Show, and Focus’ Plugged In team of writers has invited me to join in with them to discuss movies, music, TV and the entertainment young people love.

Being completely honest… I love these guys! (And I used the term “guys” loosely, because one of them is a girl!) They are really fun. Most of them are movie buffs like me, so we really have a fun time getting together and talking about movies, music, Netflix… Continue reading “A fun new podcast”

I’m On Your Radio Today and Tomorrow

Posted on: 11/18/19 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Today and Tomorrow Focus on the Family will be airing my Parenting Generation-Screen workshop on their daily radio broadcast…the first time they’ve done this.

In past shows President Jim Daly and Co-Host John Fuller have interviewed me about “Teens and Screens” or parenting…but this week they’re doing something a little different Continue reading “I’m On Your Radio Today and Tomorrow”

A Netflix Show Youth Workers and Parents Might Want to Watch

Posted on: 10/7/19 5:52 PM | by Jonathan McKee

Every once in a while a movie or TV show comes along that actually “gets” young people today or provides a glimpse at “how to reach them.”

Well, Netflix just released a series titled, Unbelievable, that literally took my breath away, on several levels.

First, I’m writing a book on social media right now and happen to be waist deep in research about predators (which sadly sometimes turns into sexual assault, rape, sex slavery, etc.). And this series is about rape victims.

Secondly, this series provides a picture-perfect example of how not to treat people who are victims of abuse, bullying, rape, etc. I mean perfectly! As in, I would actually make my youth ministry volunteers watch episode one and then episode two of this series, and then we’d all meet together and compare the two polar opposite ways we could treat those who are abused, assaulted, etc. and discuss what this looks like in the youth ministry world. Continue reading “A Netflix Show Youth Workers and Parents Might Want to Watch”