I had the pleasure recently to talk with David Closson, the Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council. I’ve known David for many, many years. He shares with me the sobering statistics regarding the gap between those who say that they are living a Biblical worldview and how their beliefs actually line up with a Biblical worldview. There’s a larger gap than you might even guess!
In this episode, David and I talk about:
David’s background playing basketball with my son to college and seminary to being invited to join the Family Research Council.
The founding and purpose of the Center for Biblical Worldview
What is and how do we live a biblical worldview?
The problems of theological liberalism
The financial, social, and legislative pressures on churches today
How issues surrounding gender and identity have become the number one question in churches today
The need for a resource to help churches talk about identity
The de-transitioner movement
Our hope in Jesus and His return
God doesn’t call us to change the world alone; He calls us to each be faithful to our individual callings
I hope that you heard David’s heart in this episode and were encouraged. It is so important that we return to the basics. As David said, “God’s work is sufficient.” Everything we need is there in Scripture!
About David Closson
David Closson serves as the Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council. He researches and writes on life, human sexuality, religious liberty, and related issues from a biblical worldview.
David is the author of FRC’s Biblical Worldview Series, which seeks to help Christians and Christian leaders apply the teachings of the Bible to difficult moral questions.
David has served as a Program Leader for Covenant Journey, leading trips to Israel designed to strengthen Christian college students in their faith through an experiential journey of biblical and modern Israel. He has served on staff or as an ordained deacon at churches in Florida and Kentucky. He also interned for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
His writing has appeared at Fox News, Real Clear Politics, National Review, The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Decision Magazine, WORLD Opinions, The Gospel Coalition, Townhall, and Christian Post. David is the co-author of Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Identity, Sexuality, and Marriage (Christian Focus, 2023). David is a regular guest on Washington Watch, FRC’s national television and radio program heard on over 800 stations in forty-eight states.
Currently, David is completing a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. David is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., Th.M.) and the University of Central Florida (B.A., political science, cum laude).
David lives in Washington, D.C. and is a member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church.
I was recently asked to do a news segment responding to a story about how a twelve-year-old and their friend snuck out of the house and drove four hundred miles to meet up with someone they’d met online. Sadly the age for children engaging in risky and dangerous behavior online is trending younger and younger. As a parent, how can you keep your kids safe online? What do you do when you find that your child is having secret chats online?
You need to take a position of balance between fear and caution. Even if you’re a tech-savvy parent, your kids probably know how to get around your efforts. Kids want to be affirmed, appreciated, and noticed so some are easily loured in by predators online. Your child just wants to have fun, but the bad people on the other side of the computer have honed their skills of deception.
Teach Your Kids to Make Wise Choices Now
The goal is for your kids to learn how to use technology and social media well while they are still under your roof. Then when they go out into the world with unmonitored access, they’ve already learned to have good boundaries and make wise choices. How do you set boundaries and teach your kids to make wise choices?
Establish Open and Honest Communication
The first step in this process is to establish open and honest communication with your tweens and teens. Discuss online safety. Remind them over and over again about these issues of tech and safety.
Set Clear Expectations
Next, set clear expectations. Set rules for technology and social media usage. Decide what’s allowed and what’s not allowed. Set time boundaries. Above all else, take time to explain the why behind the rules and boundaries.
Use parental controls
Use parental control options available to you. Set the rules, but use these tools to put guardrails in place. You have to follow up and monitor the rules that you put into place. Block and restrict content as needed. Check your child’s browser history. It’s your job to protect your kids! If you’re less tech-savvy, find tutorials online for how to use various settings.
Monitor Social Media Sites
Be sure to monitor social media sites and your child’s social media profiles. See who they are following. Watch what their friends are posting. Be sure to find a balance between checking and hovering.
Talk to Other Parents
Take time to talk to other parents. Find out about tools and methods they are using to keep their kids safe. What are they struggling with? Keep in mind that your kids are more likely to tell you what a friend did than to share the bad thing that they did themselves.
Tools for Monitoring Online Activity
There are a lot of tools out there for monitoring your child’s online activity. A couple we’ve looked at are Bark and Net Nanny. There are many more services available to choose from and more coming on the market every day. Be aware that some of these tools are using AI to determine when to alert you. You’ll need to decide where to balance privacy and the use of AI to protect your kids.
What To Do About Secret Chats Online
Don’t be afraid to talk to your kids about these topics. Ask them questions. Make sure they know you love them. Talk about the what-if scenarios. Role-play these things out. Remind them not to give out personal info.
But what if your child is already found themselves in trouble? Always watch and observe. Be aware of any secrecy and let that clue you into a problem. If you find that something has happened and your child is having secret chats online consider these next steps:
Breathe
Ask God for discernment and words specific for that child
Don’t overreact
Parents, stay engaged! Ask your kids about their online conversations. Make sure that your kids know that you’re on their side. Give them the guidance needed now so that when they leave your home they can navigate the online world with confidence as an adult.
When I met Rachael Adams a few years ago at a podcasting conference, I was so intrigued by her kindness and her authenticity. We connected again at another conference last year and I was so excited to hear about the book she had coming out. Rachael has such a heart for women in their search for significance and purpose. I’m excited to introduce her to you!
In this episode, Rachael and I discuss:
Rachael’s farm
The search for significance and listing of accomplishments
Finding wisdom in God’s word
God’s love for you just as you are not what you do
Seeing the ordinary become extraordinary
What might God do with one encounter?
I hope you are encouraged by Rachael’s perspective on life and Scripture in our conversation!
About Rachael Adams
Writer and podcaster Rachael Adams started her ministry to help women realize their God-given purpose and significance. She and her husband, Bryan, run a family business and farm in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate, and two doodle dogs.
The other day I was back in the Fox 35 Orlando studios to talk on air about another parenting topic. This time we were discussing kids and credit cards. Of course, a 3-5 minute morning TV segment gives little time to dig into the issue, so in this episode, I’m unpacking more of the conversations that need to be had and what to consider when your kid wants a credit card or debit card.
I think it is important to have these conversations with our kids rather than throwing out blanket approvals or denials. Each child even within your one family is different and may need different boundaries. There is not a set age at which getting a credit or debit card is right or wrong.
Why Does Your Child Want a Credit Card?
When your child wants a credit card, take time to find out why. What is their reasoning? You might be surprised! The reasons could be things like:
Peer pressure
No one takes cash
Concern about losing cash
Don’t feel safe carrying cash
My best advice for you is to refrain from rolling your eyes or quickly shooting down your child’s replies. Be slow to answer. Your job as the parent is to build a long last relationship through which you are teaching your child to be a responsible adult. Your child needs to learn to manage money, budget, save, and spend with your guidance.
How to Decide if Your Child Should Have a Credit Card
There are three main things to consider when deciding whether your child is ready for a credit (or debit) card.
What is their age and maturity level?
What is their understanding of money?
Does their responsibility level match their request?
After evaluating these things, you need to have a conversation about what works best for your family. Involve your spouse and other family members as needed. This is not just about what is best for your child. The final decision has to be a good fit for the entire family as well as your family goals and values.
Teaching Your Child About Money Management
In order to responsibly use a credit or debit card, your child needs to understand money management. Walk them through things like:
What an itemized credit card or bank statement looks like
How to budget
What needs to be paid at the end of a billing cycle
How interest works
How late fees work
What overdraft fees are
Paying minimum required payments vs paying off the full balance each month
Take time to show them one of your own credit card or bank statements to whatever detail you’re comfortable. Get out a calculator and have them run the numbers so they understand what might happen in various scenarios, interest rates, payment options, and overdraft fees.
Credit or Debit and Services for Kids
There are a lof of options out there these days to choose from when giving your child their first access to a credit or debit card. You’ll need to evaluate each to determine if they are a good fit for your family.
Will you choose a credit card or a debit card?
Are you trying to build credit?
Are you trying to avoid overdraft fees?
Are you willing to pay a monthly fee?
Do you want extra features like rewards or allowances built into the system?
Is a simple student account at a local bank a better option?
If your child is asking for a credit or debit card, task them with some of this research. What option do they think is best?
What If Trouble Comes with Using a Credit Card?
Remember that you are teaching your child in an environment where they can fail forward. Try a system and if it doesn’t work out, change the system rather than pulling all access. If your child misuses their credit or debit card, refrain from taking everything away. Keep the lines of communication open and encourage them to contact you first if they feel they need to make a charge outside of the usual approved purchases. Be tracking your child as needed, but not micromanaging. But, in the end, if the credit or debit card system is not working, look at other options as a family.
Start these conversation about money early and have them often. Help your child see you as a guide on this journey. Work together towards this goal of gaining financial wisdom and put them on surefooting as an adult for managing their own money.
I met Ana Bagnuoli many years ago at a homeschooling conference in Florida. Together with her husband, they began serving the Hispanic community and talking about homeschooling. The ministry has grown to the point that they now have a homeschooling conference for Spanish-speaking homeschoolers. Ana has such a passion for homeschooling in the Hispanic community and I’m so excited to introduce you to her!
In this episode, Ana and I discuss:
How Ana and I met
The need for homeschooling materials in Spanish
Serving Hispanic homeschoolers in Florida
Expanding the ministry and the founding of TranistionEd
The importance of family
Starting the first homeschooling conference for Spanish-speakers
Homeschooling in the Hispanic community is growing. Share this ministry with your Spanish-speaking friends and neighbors!
About Ana Bagnuoli
Ricardo Bagnuoli born in Montevideo, Uruguay and Ana María born in Bogotá, Colombia, have been married for 14 years and are the founders of TransitionED, a non-profit organization established in the United States in 2017 that trains and equips Hispanic families on how to transform their homes in the best and first place of learning. Ana and Ricardo believe that education is a design and a tool to discover, nurture and promote God-given purpose for each child. Ana and Ricardo moved to the United States over 20 years ago and learned from scratch what homeschooling truly is. They discovered homeschooling in 2012 at a short workshop and made the decision to follow the call to become mentors and teachers to their children. They are the parents of 3 homeschoolers ages 9, 11, and 13 and they have a strong business and academic background that has helped them implement homeschooling effectively and productively in their own home. They enjoy watching other families grow, they like to cook together, read, write, do business and also camp outdoors. In 2022 Ricardo and Ana created the first Hispanic Homeschooling Conference “Educa Por Diseño” in the nation gathered hundreds of people in Miami, FL including leaders at the local, national, and international level. Ricardo and Ana have become pioneers in the Hispanic homeschooling community with more than 10 years of experience as educators, ministers, and business owners.
Ricardo and Ana María have dedicated themselves to sharing their vision as educators of their children, as entrepreneurs, and as ministers of Biblical principles for life. They are passionate about serving other families and their home is a reflection of what they live and teach others. They currently reside in the United States, Florida and are dedicated to serving the community. Ricardo and Ana María see homeschooling as a lifestyle where education unifies the family nucleus and the learning process is done as a team.
References and Links
The following may contain affiliate links.
Visit Ana’s website and learn about the conference
In the last episode, we discussed the pros and cons of sleepovers. Rather than making a blanket decision, I encouraged you to look deeper into the goals of your family and how sleepovers can fit or do not fit into those plans. This week I want to dig deeper into hosting sleepovers. What should you ask the host family? What can you do as the host home for a sleepover?
I was recently on Fox 35 Orlando to talk about the pros and cons of sleepovers. It’s hard to have an in-depth discussion on a topic like this in four minutes!
If you’ve decided that your family allows sleepovers or you handle the requests on a case-by-case basis, think about how to best talk to the host to get the information you need to make a good decision. Think about the questions and concerns that you may be asked as the host home of a sleepover.
Questions to Ask About Hosting Sleepovers
Here are some questions you can ask about sleepovers or be prepared to answer:
Who is going to be attending?
How many kids are attending?
Will the parents be there?
Are there additional guests staying with the family?
Is this an adult party for which kids were told to invite their friends?
Is this just a kids’ hangout?
The answers to these questions change the potential dynamics of the gathering. Adult parties are more likely to have alcohol accessible. A kids’ Friday night hang-out with a handful of close friends at the home of long-time family friends is going to have a different atmosphere.
What About Safety at Sleepovers?
The number one concern about sleepovers is usually about safety. This takes many faces. In my Fox 35 segment, the topic of gun safety came up. How do you handle this topic? Honestly, you just have to ask. You don’t have to interrogate the family. Just be nice and express your concern for safety without making assumptions. Try to stay neutral and not come across as judgemental. Are firearms stored in a safe and kept unloaded?
Go over these safety concerns with your kids about guns, alcohol, and drugs. Prepare them for how to respond if presented with these things and how to get ahold of you if needed. Consider having a numeric code or code word that your child can text or say when they call you to alert you to come to get them out of the situation if needed. Does your child feel mature enough to handle these situations? Are you prepared to be respectful, non-judgemental, and empathic toward your kids if you’re asked to come to get them?
Communication Surrounding Sleepovers
Communication is key in handling sleepovers!
If you have to say no to a sleepover, be honest with your kids to whatever extent your child can understand or needs to know. Be prepared to have the tough conversations with your kids if they are broken-hearted because you must tell them no they cannot attend a particular sleepover. Be sure to remind your kids that they can use you as an excuse for not being able to go to a sleepover if needed.
For our family, we chose to host sleepovers more often than attend sleepovers at another home. I knew I wouldn’t get much sleep and I’d be on the couch all night near where the kids were to monitor what was going on. I welcomed any parents to come over or call to ask questions.
Open and honest communication is the foundation you’re trying to build with your kids. Create a safe and transparent environment where your kids and their friends can express how they feel, what has happened, or what their concerns are. They need to know that they can trust you!
Pray about what is best for your kids and your family. There is no one right or wrong way to handle sleepovers!
