Did you know that there are currently more than 2,000 texting abbreviations? (LOL, TTYL, NSFW)  And there are more created each day as students look for new ways to shorten messages and give them a cryptic code so there parents have no idea what they are talking about.

It is so tough to stay in the know about texting lingo amongst teenagers as well as all the other things that students are doing.  The Wall Street Journal just recently published this great article about the cultural world that is texting, twitter and the shorthand that has been created.  I recommend every parent reads this article.

Oh, and then for fun, LG (the phone manufacturer) is trying to help people out when it comes to translating text shorthand.  They have created  a website, http://dtxtr.com/, that allows you to type in a text shorthand, (PAW, POS, KUTGW, SWU) and get the translation into “normal” English.  You can also type in a phrase and it will let you know if there is a txting way to say it, like laugh out loud is LOL and talk to you later is TTYL.

So go have fun. And if you have a shorthand definition that doesn’t come up, you can add it!

Parenting.  It has to be one of the most complicated responsibilities known to man. And the only way to learn is through on the job training.  Through your screw ups, through your successes, and just by keeping at it when you want to give up.

Well, what if I told you there were other people who feel the exact same way as you?  What if I told you there are other people who are dealing with the same issues you are?  Wouldn’t it be nice to sit down and discuss some of the things we are dealing with, and get some advice from other people who have maybe been there already?

That is the purpose of P.O.D.  Parent Open Discussions are designed just for parents to talk with other parents. What better way to get help raising your teen than by sharing with those who are doing the exact same thing! 

So join us at Sycamore Creek Church on Monday, March 9th at 7pm for Parent Open Discussion- there are no teens or kids allowed and there is no subject that is restricted.  Come and join us as we all try to raise godly teens!

Connection.  Dictionary.com defines connection as a circle of friends or associated or a member of such a circle.  Being connected can do so much for a person.  Take our church for example.

Being connected at Sycamore Creek Church lets you know that when things are rough, you have people there to help.  And when things are great, those same people will celebrate with you.  It’s relationships that go deeper than just attending church together.  It’s life. 

And we as a youth group, are missing that.  As I watch students interact, or in a lot of cases, not interact with others at youth group, it pains me.  These students need that connection. 

So starting Sunday Night March 8th, we will be adding a small group element to Cross Current.  And with that, we are going to be extending the time of Cross Current to 6pm – 8pm. 

Our prayer is that students will begin to develop life-long deep relationships with peers and adults that will help them as they navigate life’s journey.

So please make note of the time change for Cross Current.  it will now go from 6-8pm!

An interesting marketing trend is starting to occur across the nation.  With the widely spread popularity of energy drinks and high-octane sodas, alcohol companies have started creating energy drinks and sodas with alcohol in them.  And the scariest thing of it all is that unless you look for the tiny labeling that says alcohol you would never know the difference between an alcoholic and non-alcoholic energy drink.

I encourage you to read more about this phenomenon.  After all, your kids are going to be faced with this issue.  Here is the article. 

I also suggest that you watch the video report put out by the San Diego Youth Council.  It definitely opened my eyes

Just came across this blog today : On Teens Today.  Don’t know if I would agree with everything on the site, but one thing I do like:  They have a bunch of different teen authors.  The site is designed to help parents understand their teen a little better.  And who better to do this than teenagers themselves.

So check this post out: 8 Things You Didn’t know about Teens.  It’s written by a 16 year old girl from Connecticut.

Interesting article by the Wall Street Journal on the dangers of Cyber-Bullying.  You should check it out.

If you or your student have not completed a 2008 Medical Release Form, you will need to do so before the Mud Pit tomorrow night.  Here is the form:

2008 Medical Release Form

Many of the students have signed up to participate in the 30-hour famine this weekend.  I thought I should post the information about the event.  I gave students a postcard with all the info on it on Sunday and am posting that card here so parents can have all the info.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Here are some key things you need to know:

Let me start by saying I don’t know where this will end up.  But I want to talk about parenting for a little bit. Are you a reactive parent or a proactive parent?  You probably have never thought about it that way before.  Let me try to explain it this way.

If you are a reactive parent, my guess is that you let your child/teen do whatever they want and then you try to clean up the mess when it happens.  Sometimes that involves getting angry, or frustrated, or punishing them.  Let me ask you this:  Do you know who your kids hang out with?  Do you know what your son and daughter do on their dates?  Do your kids hide things from you so that you don’t react? 

This method of parenting is definitely easier because you don’t really have to parent unless something goes wrong.  But what happens when your child makes a decision that you can’t fix?  How  do you react to that?

Are you a proactive parent?  Do you try and palce your child in situations that will help them succeed?  Do you take teaching moments in various life moments? Do you do things or make (yeah, you are still allowed to make your teens do something- they are your kids) your teen do things that are going to help them in the long run?  This may mean that you don’t get to be the “cool” parent or their friend for a while, but I don’t think either of those should be the goal.  I struggle with parents who say, “My teen didn’t want to do that” like they are leaving it up to the teen to decide what is best for their future.  Did you know what to do all the time when you were a teenager?  Let me answer: NO!!!  That is why God put parents in your life- to guide you, to direct you, to make you do things that you didn’t want to do because they knew it would pay off in the future

It’s like preventative maintenance on your vehicle.  You do things to your car- change the oil, the air filter, spark plugs- to make sure that it functions in the best way possible, and for as long as possible.  You don’t just wait until something breaks and you’re left on the side of I-270 before you fix it. No you try and take care of your car.

Aren’t your teens worth more effort than your car?

I got this video in an email from one of my former students.  What an impact!!! It is kind of long (like 6 minutes), but well worth the watch!!!