Perhaps the most important part of a child’s development is the formation of identity. Shaped through beliefs, experiences, relationships, and a sense of purpose, identity defines who we are, what we do, and how we interact with the world around us.

It’s no secret that teenagers today are struggling to figure out their identity. They want to know who they are and how they fit into the world. They want to believe that their life matters and they have a place. They need to be seen and loved. As their parents, we have a tremendous influence on how they navigate these thoughts and struggles.

As children’s leaders, we have an important role to play in supporting kids and parents in the important journey of identity development. Children need to hear repeatedly what God says about them from as many sources as possible to help anchor them in God’s truth about who they are and develop their spiritual identity.

If you are a ministry leader, you know the identity struggles that our kids and teens are facing today. There is a lot written about how we can talk about identity and encourage adolescents in healthy ways.

As parents, we do know there are benefits to technology, and at the same time, we understand enough of the negatives to want to make wise decisions in this area. Whether you are just beginning to think about this topic or need to revise what you have in place, be encouraged that you can establish a great plan for technology in your home.

We get to live in a world where we not only have all the “normal” teenage stuff to deal with, but we get to add in all the things that revolve around technology and social media. Isn’t that fun? We have to decide things like when (or if) our teens get a phone. I’m going to assume that most of you have already landed on the fact that it’s hard to totally avoid providing a device for your teenager. It seems like the smartphone has become a necessary tool for them to have as they learn to live and thrive in the world.