Parenting Archives - Page 15 of 34 - Jonathan's Blog From The Source

Moving from YOU SHOULD to SHOULD YOU?

Posted on: 05/13/14 5:00 AM | by Jonathan McKee

I’m working on a brand new Parenting Help article that will be featured on the front page of TheSource4Parents.com next week. I thought I’d give you, my blog subscribers, a first peek at it and throw me some feedback.

Which do you think is a more effective way to teach today’s young people how to make good decisions?

“You should do this.”

or…

“What do you think you should do?”

It’s funny how often parents, mentors, and youth pastors end up becoming the voice of “you should” or “you should not” in a young person’s life Continue reading “Moving from YOU SHOULD to SHOULD YOU?”

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Asking Right Questions… the Wrong Way

Posted on: 04/29/14 3:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Do your kids open up or clam up when you ask questions?

Think about that for a second. Because chances are, you ask questions one of two ways. One approach gets young people talking. The other tactic… they look for the nearest exit.

Last weekend I taught two workshops in Wisconsin, one to parents and anther to youth workers. One of the common denominators in that teaching was encouraging each of these groups to truly “get to know their kids.” In the parenting workshop I actually gave them a homework assignment:

“Connect with your kid this week and see if you can discover something about them you never knew before.”

I qualified that assignment by warning them Continue reading “Asking Right Questions… the Wrong Way”

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The Social Media Irony

Posted on: 04/24/14 3:20 AM | by Jonathan McKee

(and 5 Ideas to “Socialize”
the Socially Isolated)

In a world where 4 out of 5 teenagers are social media users, you’d think young people would be growing more… social?

Sadly, no.

In fact, most research is revealing quite the opposite. The reality is, the more time a young person spends dialoguing with people through screens, the fewer close friends they have, and the more difficult it becomes for them to actually communicate with people face to face.

Let’s break that down, and then I’ll provide 5 ideas to help you “socialize” a generation who have socially isolated themselves Continue reading “The Social Media Irony”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Internet, Jonathan's Rant, Movies, Music, Parenting, Smartphones/Cell Phones, Social Media, TV, Youth Culture | | Leave A Comment

Brutally Honest Advice to Today’s Guys

Posted on: 04/22/14 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

A bunch of people have been asking me the story behind my brand new book of brutally honest advice to today’s guys. The truth is… I almost didn’t write it.

Last summer my agent called me and said, “I’ve got a book for you to write.” I thought, No way. Already swamped. I was wrapping up my Zombie book, and halfway through writing Get Your Teenagers Talking, all this on top of all my speaking and training for our ministry… but then he told me what the publisher wanted:

“It’s a book that will provide candid advise to teenage guys.”

He hooked me. I couldn’t say no. Next thing I knew, I was writing The Guys Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket.

I sent out texts to my friends and family and asked them this question Continue reading “Brutally Honest Advice to Today’s Guys”

Posted in Books, Faith, Parenting, Sexuality, Smartphones/Cell Phones | | Leave A Comment

Bonding or Boundaries PART 2

Posted on: 04/15/14 6:56 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Last week I wrote a post discussing the two vital ingredients in parenting: bonding and boundaries. Bonding is the side with nurturing and play, where boundaries is structure and discipline.

In many parent child relationships, parents seems to sway toward one over the other, despite the fact that both elements are necessary. I asked you to comment and see which side you seem to “err” toward and which side you see more Continue reading “Bonding or Boundaries PART 2”

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Bonding or Boundaries

Posted on: 04/8/14 3:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Parenting is hard!

I study and write about youth culture and parenting almost every day. It seems so nice and simple when I’m reading articles and typing words on the screen… then my 16-year-old gets home from school!

Huge difference between theory and practice.

I have never… emphasis on never… Continue reading “Bonding or Boundaries”

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5 Days of Get Your Teenager Talking- DAY 4

Posted on: 04/3/14 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Each day in my blog this week I’m going to give you a little somethin’ you can use to provoke meaningful conversations with young people. (Click here for Monday’s, Tuesday’s, or Wednesday’s.) My brand new book, Get Your Teenager Talking has 180 conversation springboards that “get teenagers talking”… I thought I’d share some with you. Here’s another one:

Conversation Springboard No. 4:

What makes someone popular at your school? Continue reading “5 Days of Get Your Teenager Talking- DAY 4”

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5 Days of Get Your Teenager Talking- DAY 3

Posted on: 04/2/14 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Whenever I bring up the events at Columbine, young people become immediately engaged.

Each day in my blog this week I’ve been giving you a little somethin’ you can use to provoke meaningful conversations with young people. (Already posted two- click here for Monday’s or Tuesday’s.) My brand new book, Get Your Teenager Talking has 180 conversation springboards that “get teenagers talking”… I thought I’d share some with you. I’m giving you one each day:

Conversation Springboard No. 3:

A videotape was discovered of the two Columbine killers—the two high school boys in Colorado who killed thirteen people on April 19, 1999. The two angry boys turned on the camera a month before their shooting spree and started bragging about their plans to kill everyone and how their parents didn’t have a clue Continue reading “5 Days of Get Your Teenager Talking- DAY 3”

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5 Days of Get Your Teenager Talking- DAY 1

Posted on: 03/31/14 3:30 AM | by Jonathan McKee

Each day in my blog this week I’m going to give you a little somethin’ you can use to provoke meaningful conversations with young people. My brand new book, Get Your Teenager Talking has 180 conversation springboards that “get teenagers talking”… I thought I’d share some with you. I’ll give you one each day this week:

Conversation Springboard No. 1:
A nationwide survey asked people about the appropriate use of cell phones in social settings such as mealtimes, meetings, and in classrooms. The answers varied considerably by the respondent’s age. The younger the person, the more they perceived texting as permissible in social settings. For example Continue reading “5 Days of Get Your Teenager Talking- DAY 1”

Posted in Books, Parenting, Smartphones/Cell Phones | | Leave A Comment