A Little Birdie Told Me...

Twitter. Tweet. A few years ago, those two words had very different definitions and connotations than they do in our tech-centric culture. I'm on Twitter, and I've found it to be an amazing tool when it comes to keeping current in ministry trends and staying in touch with what's happening "out there" in the church ministry world. It's wonderful to be able to hear from great leaders and thinkers in the Christian realm and stay current, all the while being tucked away here in northern Maine.

That being said, I've recently observed an entirely other "dark side" of the Twitterverse.  It seems that many teens (and preteens) are migrating from Facebook updates to Tweets. (Or they're "living" in both worlds.) And the disturbing thing? The person they represent on Twitter may be VERY different from the person on Facebook or in "real life", usually for the worse. Vulgarity, promiscuity, perversity, profanity...these are some of the words to describe what I've noticed. In fact, here's a personal Tweet of mine from yesterday, January 30: "Twitter seems to be becoming the new "Secret Life of the American Teenager". :-/ "

So, parents--are your kids on Twitter? If you say no, are you sure? Who are your kids following on Twitter? Who is following your kids? These are all individuals who will influence and impact your child and his or her worldview. It's worth it to pay attention to their online habits and make sure you're "in the know."