We talk about social media “addiction” and the need to help teens take control of their screen time. Now, with the stay-at-home requirement because of COVID-19, they must also do their school work online and their only option for socializing with their friends is their cell phone.
Walt Mueller, Founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding (CPYU), has recently been listening to parents talk about “the good, the bad, and the ugly” that has been coming out of having to stay at home. The good? More family together time tops the list!
But one “dark spot” Mueller is hearing about from parents is their concern that their teenagers are suffering from sleep deprivation. They’re on their phones during the night connecting with their friends. This lack of uninterrupted sleep is undermining teens’ physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Read Mueller’s post, “Teens, Sleep, and Pandemic Breakdown,” and talk with your teens about this issue. Encourage them to think about what decisions they need to make in order to glorify God with their body, their mind, and their spirit. Look with them at Scripture passages like the Apostle Paul’s response to the Corinthians’ claims, “All things are lawful for me” and “All things are lawful for me.” Paul says, “But not all things are helpful” and “I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12).
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