,

5 Social Media Sites Parents Should Know About

,

“Knock, knock…” No, it’s not a joke, it’s the way my social media worked when I was a kid!

Someone either knocked on the door or rang the door bell. Neither is the case these days. Our kids flock to social media sites to stay connected, build community, hang out and find out what’s going on in their world.

I have taken a few surveys, asked a few questions, and did a little poking around to see what and where our kids have landed with their social media. Please understand that this post is not meant to alarm or scare any parent into locking down their child’s phone, tablet or computer. There’s a difference between being aware and being worried. I want you to be aware.

When I speak on the topic of Faith and the Modern Family I often get asked this question. “Are most social media apps bad for our kids? My answer is no. That being said, here is another question to consider. Are there some social media apps that seem to draw a more inappropriate crowd discussing or soliciting inappropriate behavior and topics? The answer is yes. And, that’s what I want us to be aware of.


The 5 Social Media Sites Parents Should Know About (Alphabetically)


1. AskFM

Aware
A social site/app where anyone can ask anything they want or, answer anything they want, and remain anonymous.

Snare
The equation of a “child + asking whatever they want + wanting to remain anonymous = dangerous (My math). Questions can range from

, ,

3 Ways To Keep Work At Work & Protect Your Family Time

, ,

I remember coming home from work one evening several years ago and walking directly from the garage to the kitchen counter without saying hi to anyone. I put down my backpack, took out my laptop, opened my email and started to write.

After a few minutes, my then five-year-old son Alec asked me what I was doing. I told him I didn’t get all my work done at the office, so I needed to finish a few things at home. After a short pause, he said, “Well, maybe they can put you in a slower group at work.” Well said!

How many of us secretly want to be put into a slower group at work?
One of the biggest mistakes I made when my kids were younger was working around the clock.

Lets take a short trip back in time. 20 years ago our parents couldn’t work around the clock. There were limits built in that prevented them from working all the time. The phone was attached to the wall. Sports season actually had a beginning AND and end and there was no such thing as a “push notification” unless you were referring to the doorbell!

Today’s technology allows us to work whenever, wherever and however we want and we need to find a way to stop it.

Modern technology blurs

,

How Much Time Do We Have Left With Our Children?

,

None of us know how much time we have left with our children. If everything goes according to plan we may agree that our kids come into this world and spend about 18 years with us, then depart to pursue their own life and career independently from us.

In the Jutila household our kids are approaching the age of departure and the question that comes to mind is did Mary and I do our best with the time we had with them? Did we take advantage of the “opportunities” we had with them? (See Ephesians 5:15-16).

There is a scene that takes place in the kitchen of ABC’s TV comedy Modern Family and opens with chaos brewing. It’s parents at their worst and the kids not much better. There is shouting, a fire erupting on the stove and a dish shattering as it hits the floor. Frenetic energy fills the scene as the dialogue picks up . . .

Haley (Daughter): “You win the award for the worst mother ever.”
Claire (Mom): “I will be sure to thank you in my speech.”
Haley (Daughter): “I hope the whole house burns down.”
Mitchell (Claire’s brother, just arriving): “Did we come at a bad time?”
Claire (Mom): “Come back in seven years and five months when they are all gone.” (1)

It’s Claire’s last line that makes

5 Questions Every Leader Needs To Ask

Leaders who have been around awhile may have a tendency to answer questions rather than ask them. I’m not sure why leaders stop asking questions. Maybe it’s a lack of curiosity? Pride? Fear of letting others know they are asking for help? I'm sure it’s different for everyone. Sometimes, when we think we know it all, we start lecturing instead of listening. I have been guilty of all the above at one time or another in my leadership life.

In this simple post I wanted to pose 5 questions for all leaders to consider. I believe if we do our best to ask and answer these five questions on a regular basis we have incredible potential to become great leaders.


1. What Am I Learning?

If we want to be leaders then we need to be a learners. When the memories of our past success outnumber the dreams in our future its safe to say then end is near. Remember, it’s what you learn after you know it all that counts the most. Reading books, articles and blogs that not only agree or support our line of thinking but books, articles and blogs that challenge

LeaderSHIFT Part 2: 5 Gears Every Leader Needs

In LeaderSHIFT Part 1 we talked about the shift we go through and how that makes a huge difference in our life keeping us alert, aware and mindful Here, in part two, I want to talk about the gears themselves. After-all, the gears are what give us power and get us moving.

In my 1966 Robin’s Egg Blue Volkswagen there were five gears. First, second, third, fourth and reverse. Let’s take a look at each one and see how making a LeaderSHIFT can give us the power to make a difference.


1st Gear: Connecting Deeply

Connect deeply with two other people you can trust.

Call it what you want, accountability, connection, community but the bottom line is this, who really knows you deeply? Who can see past your hang ups, extend grace and mercy and love you anyway? Who can lift you up in prayer or be your wise guidance in the midst of difficulty or discouragement?

A healthy leader needs to connect deeply with at least two other people. Why two others? Because, A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a

LeaderSHIFT Part 1: It's The Shift We Go Through That Makes The Difference

My first car was a 1966 robin's egg blue Volkswagen. It had 5 gears, several dents and a spare tire under the hood. It also had a manual transmission and broken parking brake. As a 17 year old, I hated it. Actually, let me rephrase that. I loved the car! I just hated the shift I had to go through to drive it. Left foot clutch, right foot gas, right hand shift. It wasn’t easy. And, If you were stopped at a red light on a hill, well, you were in big trouble. A stalled car rolling backwards with a 17 year old at the wheel isn’t pretty.

A manual transmission was just to much for an impatient 17 year old to think about. Learning the timing and rhythm of when I had to upshift or downshift or stay in neutral was a nightmare. I can remember stalling my car for the one hundredth time while trying to make a right hand turn. I was so frustrated that I would never get the hang of shifting gears that I guided the car to the curb, got out, and walked away.

That’s right, I got out, closed the door, and walked away. I couldn’t wait for the day I could afford an automatic transmission, a transmission that did the gear shifting for me. Simple to use and easy to operate. Just put it in “D” and drive.

I have also observed good leaders try and make a turn, stall, get frustrated and walk away. I have been there myself. Good leaders stall, it’s part

3 Reminders From The Rough Side of Ministry

How do you deal with difficult people?

We all experience what I call “sandpaper” people in our life. Each one comes with a different “grit” but their purpose in our life is the same, to smooth out our rough edges. Here are 3 reminders for each of us when the edges of our attitude need a little sanding.


Reminder Number 1:

Develop Thick Skin and a Sensitive Heart

The phrase, “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me” is simply not true. Words do hurt and sometimes worse than a broken bone. The Bible says, “Our tongues get out of control. They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison.” James 3:6 CEV.

When reckless words come our way they are usually hurled by someone who has been hurt or offended either by you or someone else. Remember, “hurt people…hurt people.” We can let