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Inside The Secret World Of Teens Online A CNN Special Report

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A few weeks ago I was sitting in my hotel room in CO doing some work. I had just finished speaking on the Faith and the Modern Family Topic: What Should I Know When Virtual Is My Reality? A subject that most parents don’t want to hear but need to.

I had CNN playing on the TV and they came on with a special report entitled, “Inside the Secret World of Teens.” The report centered around teens and their online lives. The report provided great information regarding teens and social media. The report was called Inside The Secret World Of Teens and is worth viewing.

I have put links to some of the topics and articles surrounding

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Daisy Chaining Life & Why It’s Hurting Us

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I changed my profile picture on Facebook a while ago and have received several questions on “what the heck” I was doing! Answer, I was speaking at a conference on Life Balance and that object I am holding is a “surge protector.” Let me explain…

The picture above is a surge protector in the form of a person. Unfortunately this is an all to real picture of my life. Although I am better with the help of counseling and healthy friends It serves as a reminder of how I am wired (Excuse the pun). Let me explain…

I have two surge protectors plugged into the two wall outlets in my office. I honestly don’t use the surge protectors to “protect” my electronics from an unknown electrical “surge.” The reality is, I use them to give me more outlets!


More Is Better, Right?

If I plug in two surge protectors I have effectively created more

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The New Workaholics - Our Children!

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I will be one of the first to say that busyness isn’t what hurts us––it’s the stress! Dr. Archibald Hart describes stress this way: “The stress that does us in is the stress of challenge, high energy output and over commitment. If we do not build enough time into our lives to allow recovery of the system, we pay for it in stress disease.”

It used to be that just one member of the family was always working or overdoing. Of course, that had negative effects on the family, but I am not talking about that one person here. I used to be that one person. What I’m talking about is a new kind of busyness––the kind that doesn’t just affect one family member but includes everyone in the family.

As parents and leaders we get up and go to work. Our kids get up and go to school. Then our lives are filled with

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3 Ideas To Keep Your Kids Digitally Healthy

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1. Keep Computers, Tablets and Game Consoles in an Open Space

It’s less likely that your children will explore inappropriate content if their screen is in a spot where everyone can see it. As I researched this topic-from using Facebook posts to asking other families, I thought Mary and I would be in the minority in setting this boundary early in our kids lives. However, most websites I checked included this specific digital boundary, including sites like MTV and ABC. At Findlaw.com, the recommendation is listed as

7 Characteristics of A Healthy Leader

As I was reading in Ephesians it hit me, there are 7 characteristics that Paul writes about in chapter 5 verses 15-21 that describe the “wise” person and the “spirit filled” person.

The chapter headings in my Bible for Ephesians 5 (The one made of leather and paper and the only one I used while in College) says “Be Imitators of God.” The chapter heading in one of the 11 Bibles I have on my computer says, “Living In The Light.”

Being “wise,” “spirit filled,” “imitators of God,” and “living in the light” are certainly great reminders for healthy leaders. Below are the 7 characteristics Paul writes about in Ephesians 5: 15-21.


1. Healthy Leaders Are Careful

So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely. Ephesians 5:15 NCV

If you were to look at

What Can The Band From Boston Teach Us About Leadership?

While listening to one of the most notable rock bands of the century, Boston, I began to realize that most of the lyrics to their songs are talking about life’s struggles, passions and overcoming difficulty.

Several of their songs are worthy of a leadership blog but for today I want to take a look at one song in particular that talks to us as visionaries and leaders. The song reminds us to be content or, as the band says, To Have A Peace of Mind!


BE CONTENT WITH WHERE YOU ARE

Now if you're feelin' kinda low 'bout the dues you've been paying
Future's coming much too slow
And you wanna run but somehow you just keep on stayin'
Can't decide on which way to go

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3 Things We Can’t Do While Staring At A Screen

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Screen time can become an addiction if not regulated. To the teenager who is connected to friends online, it can be difficult to unplug for a few moments. They have a deep desire to know what’s going on with their friends and in their world. To be offline for a few minutes risks becoming invisible, irrelevant or worse, forgotten.

As adults, we may be aware enough to remove ourselves from our various screens. However, I must admit that, on occasion my eyes will start to burn while working on my computer to the point where I need to stop and put in a few eye drops.

Did you know that studies show us that our blink rate dramatically decreases when we are on the computer, producing what ophthalmologists call