“Life-Ready Kids: How to raise kids safely in a world of technology,” a life skills resource for teens in a dangerous world.
Ross A Reid B.S., M.A., has spent his life working with kids, first as a teacher, then as a principal, and finally as a schools system administrator in a variety of schools across four states of Australia. So he has a good idea of the challenges facing both students and school staff.
“Back in the 1960s—my high school years—I attended a Christian boarding school. Back then, there was a complete absence of access to mass media in the school; not a television in the rec room, let alone a radio in the dormitory,” he tells. “Some years later—it was in 1985—I returned to my alma mater on staff as the deputy principal. Things had changed, with a television in each dorm lounge room and most students had radios or even full stereos. Times had certainly changed!
“During the five years I spent there, our typing classroom morphed into a computer lab, a fabulous resource but as positive an innovation as this “new” technology was, it soon became clear that it had its downside. Then after another nine years, I came back as principal. This was in 1999 by which time we had 24-7 access to the internet both on computer and a short time later, on the ubiquitous mobile phones. This innovation brought new challenges,” he reflects.
“Although initially invented for military purposes, then expanded for the purpose of communicating among scientists—both worthwhile purposes, indeed—the internet soon evolved a dark side. For example, I met Andrew, a 15-year-old at the time, who was drawn to this dark side. Sadly, it eventually led him to suicide.
“One day the Dean of Boys phoned me in my office. There was potential trouble in the dorm. A concerned senior students had alerted him that a student had porn on his computer. As our clear policy was that the principal could enter a student’s room if it was suspected that their behaviour or items in their possession could be injurious to themselves of other students, I went and opened the computer. Within a few key strokes, I was confronted by some rather “inappropriate” picture of healthy young women.”
This is but one of a number of related issues facing parents and teachers today. But according to Reid, help, and ironically, is also readily available on the web.
“Chuck Hagele, CEO of Project Patch, a ministry helping teens with behavioural and emotional struggles, has produced an online Bible-based series called “Life-Ready Kids – How to Raise Kids In a World of Technology.” It’s an excellent resource, which I absolutely endorse, having seen it at work.
“Topics include teaching; disciplining; coaching and mentoring to help teens into adulthood; communicating with teens; how to educate teens in the non-use of porn; and how to assist parents in educating their teens in the wise use of video games, mobile phones and other online devices. The series concludes with Chuck providing strategies for parents and teachers to assist students who are addicted to their devices, or likely to be.
“With the student with pornographic photos, I wish I’d had Chuck’s series for both myself and my staff,” Reid reflects. “And as parents, we also need all of the help we can lay our hands on to help our children make positive life choices. “Life-Ready Kids” will go a long way to meeting these challenges.”
* Contact Chuck at [email protected] or follow on Facebook for information and speaking venues, or website wwwlifereadykidstv.com.
