Ready for Take-off?
If you were lucky enough to experience the exhilaration of Top Gun: Maverick in the theaters last year, you probably recall this line:
You don't have time to think up there.
If you think, you're dead.
While this moment made Hollywood magic, in the real world of aviation, one of the biggest pilot killers isn’t dogfights or mechanical failures—but a deadly phenomenon known as spatial disorientation. If a pilot loses sight of a landmark or checkpoint to anchor his vision (think: clouds, fog, darkness, bright light), he can quickly forget “which way is up” and lose control of the aircraft. His only hope is learning to fly by his instruments.
Feels a lot like the social media world.
While we like to think of social media as a “blue sky” where we can go any direction we want to go, the reality is that there are strong winds and forces pushing us—and our kids—the direction tech companies want to go. We open our social media app to quickly check in on a friend—and thirty minutes later find ourselves engulfed in a cloud of shopping, gossip, Tiktok tutorials…you name it. Spatial disorientation.
So what instruments—what compass—can we offer our kids as they navigate the thick, fuzzy fog of social media? You might be hoping I’ll point you to an app to download or device to purchase, but the answer might be a little more basic: Give them words.
In the months ahead, we’ll unpack seven soundbites to teach your kids before (or after) they enter the social media world. These short declarations are like landmarks- helping your kids stay oriented to God’s love and purpose for them in the digital world. Don’t think of them as a comprehensive list of things they need to know—just a starter kit. A basic glossary. A toolbox you can add to as they grow. Ready?
01 / Identity Anchor your identity outside the digital world.
02 / Purpose Your digital spaces have purpose—like rooms in a house.
03 / Capacity Receive the gift of limits.
04 / Boundaries Your story is worth protecting.
05 / Engagement In a world that craves the spotlight, be a lantern.
06 / Smoke Detectors When things get smoky, head for the exits.
07 / Exit Routes Go big...or go home.
Even though these principles are short and sweet—they are jam-packed with opportunities to start rich conversations with your kids about what it means to follow Jesus in the digital world. Stay tuned as we unpack them in the months ahead! May these landmarks guide our kids’ social media journeys—and help them show up in the online world with digital integrity.
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The next time your kids catch you scrolling aimlessly, try dropping the term “spatial disorientation” with your kids— and tee up our need for landmarks and instruments as we navigate the digital world. Maybe then you have some fun planning a Top Gun movie night. (Just sayin!)
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Not into Tom Cruise? Watch Moana with your kids—and use her journey across the ocean to spark a conversation about our journey in the social media world. What unexpected challenges does she face as she embarks on her journey? What tools does she use to guide her when she gets lost at sea? Talk to your kids about what tools or truth you use to help you stay oriented to Jesus as you navigate the waves of social media.
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Feeling a little lost at sea yourself? One of my go-to compasses for all things youth culture The Culture Translator weekly email. Axis.org is one of my very favorite places to go to learn about new “winds” in the digital world that are hitting my kids—with awesome insights about how to engage with your child through a Biblical lens.