Real World Blog
Haiti and Your Kids
Depending on the age of your kids, it might be tempting to steer them away from the overwhelming tragedy unfolding in Haiti right now. Or we might be tempted to avoid it ourselves. To weep with those weeping there feels as if it might drown us. But this is an opportunity to lead your family to stand with you both in helping the survivors of the Haiti earthquake and developing a Christlike heart of compassion for those who suffer.
Are the Inked and Pierced More “Deviant”?
According to a new survey of over 1,700 college students, a correlation exists between those with multiple tattoos and piercings and what the Texas Tech researchers identified as deviant behavior like promiscuity, drug use, binge drinking, arrests, and academic cheating.
Sex Doesn’t Sell at the Movies?
“The study found that, contrary to popular belief, sex and nudity failed to positively affect a film’s popularity among viewers or critics and did not guarantee big box office receipts.”
News: Teens Get the Recession
Although the tone of this recent New York Times story seems a little insulting to students—“Even teens understand the economy is bad!”—I think it reveals some encouraging fallout from the ongoing recession/recovery.
Learning Religion at the Movies
John Granger on Twilight: “These Gothic romances . . . are allegories about the love relationship between God and Man. They are, in fact, a re-telling of the Garden of Eden drama
One Way to Discourage Teen Sexting
You may have seen the recent stats from The Pew Internet & American Life Project on teens and sexting showing that 30% of 17 year olds have received nude or nearly nude images on their phones while only 8% of the same age group have admitted to sending them. The study also reveals that teens are five times less likely to sext when their parents pay the phone bill.
Students Growing More Stressed and Depressed Over Time
A new study looking at psychological surveys of over 63,000 high school and college students over time—from 1938 to 2007—shows a remarkable increase in the amount of mental illness and lack of emotional well-being.
Parents Waiting Too Long to Talk about Sex?
More than 40 percent of adolescents have already had sex by the time their parent had talked to them about sexually transmitted diseases and birth control, according to a new study appearing today in the journal Pediatrics.
What Gladwell’s Parents Gave Him
In the acknowledgments for his fascinating book Outliers, bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell credits his parents for giving him the very specific gifts and opportunities that allowed him to develop into a hardworking and successful writer.
Teens Pick Unhealthy Songs
Teens working with the Boston Health Commission to analyze popular music for ingredients that are unhealthy for relationships came up with a top ten list of the least healthy songs. The list includes familiar names like Jamie Foxx, Lady Gaga, 50 Cent, and others. It might make for a good conversation starter with your teen about what makes media healthy—or not.
