Connect
Real Relationships in a World of Isolation
- Church Leadership & Ministry
- Publisher: Zondervan Reflective (Zondervan)
- Published: 2009
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Publisher's Description
"In an age where teenagers are deeply engaged in virtual communities and social networks, they’re still feeling alone and isolated. It may sound all too simple, but the truth is that you have the opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of students with the simple act of spending time with them, one-on-one. Whether you’re a volunteer or the lead youth pastor, getting some students to open up and share their lives can be a challenge. In this practical book you’ll learn the importance of connecting with students on an individual basis and get helpful ideas on how to engage a variety of students in meaningful dialogue. You’ll explore and learn more about connecting with six different types of students, including: • The “No Way” Kid • The “Not Interested” Kid • The “Checking Things Out Kid” • The “Stagnant” Kid • The “Growing” Kid • The “Looking for Ministry” Kid Connect will walk you through the steps to lead you into relationships with students that go beyond the youth room and impact them into adulthood."
Endorsements (12)
“If you’re tired of being upstaged by a small rectangle made of glass and plastic, Jonathan McKee has the advice you need! Whether your pre-teen can’t stop watching YouTube clips or Netflix or you’re worried your older teen’s most meaningful social interaction is with avatars on his phone or tablet, this book is a much-needed lifeline. Jonathan McKee also offers wise counsel for a variety of tough tech situations, and his suggestions are both innovative and completely doable.”
“In a world where most parents feel frustrated by their kids’ enslavement to social media and technology, Jonathan provides plenty of practical ideas to help parents create a climate of communication where kids actually put their phones down and engage in meaningful conversation.”
“Jonathan McKee understands kids and this culture like few people I know. He is also passionate about helping parents find meaningful connection times with their kids. There are opportunities to engage, connect, and bond deeper on every page. The bonus questions at the end of every connection topic are easy to get parents and kids talking and sharing life. I highly recommend this book.”
“Ya gotta love a guy who, speaking from a thoroughly researched standpoint plus personal experience teaching parenting workshops and herding teens (but heaven forbid, not simultaneously), understands the magical powers of cookie dough in drawing polar opposite fam members together in a kitchen and opening up conversation. There’s nothing not to love about this book.”
“52 Ways to Connect with Your Smartphone Obsessed Kid may have been written for parents, but it’s a must-read for all of us. Thankfully, Jonathan McKee doesn’t offer a hopeless message that all is lost unless we destroy our smartphones and turn our backs on technology. Instead, he gives us simple, memorable ways we can use our devices to strengthen our relationships instead of letting our tech toys run the family show. I’ll be giving copies to my kids who are raising my grands in our wired-up world.”
“If you’re tired of seeing just the top of your kid’s head bent over a smartphone, Jonathan McKee’s new book, 52 Ways to Connect with Your Smartphone Obsessed Kid, was written for you…and me…as he challenges parents (and grandparents) to examine the example we provide and encourages us we are not powerless to change the tide.… This book is one I’ll buy for my adult children as well, as my grandsons are on the journey into a world very different than the one in which I raised my sons. Jonathan’s book is long overdue.”
“Jonathan McKee has done it again! He’s provided a timely tool for any parent looking to understand their children better in an increasingly technological age. Jonathan’s candidness about his experiences with his own kids and the practical tips, questions, and research he’s provided are bound to give any parent who reads this book the tools they have been looking for to connect with their kids on a deeper level. This book definitely has me thinking about how to create a climate of conversation with my own kids. So put down your smartphone and pick up this book!”
“I regularly find that parents want help but don’t know where to find the good stuff. So much parenting advice is fear-based and impractical. But Jonathan’s gift to us is that he writes to parents from the intersection of hopeful parenting and practical ideas.”
“Jonathan gives every parent a set of strategies to navigate the smartphone battlefield. 52 Ways to Connect with Your Smartphone Obsessed Kid provides you with three wins: connect with your kids in the on-line world they know and love, steer your whole family away from damaging habits, and become an informed model of proper technology use.”
“Jonathan McKee has done it again! In 52 Ways to Connect with your Smartphone Obsessed Kid, he has given parents a roadmap for relationship success with their kids. Jonathan shares important research on the overuse of screens and devices while combining his love of teens, respect for parents, and easy humor in each practical scenario offered to solve this universal challenge. A winning combination!”
“As someone who speaks professionally to companies about managing distractions in a constantly connected workplace, I’m continuously continuously asked for a resource from people on how to handle these issues with their kids. Jonathan’s book is the resource I’ve been seeking for years. Not only will I recommend it, but I plan to adopt many of the strategies when I walk through the threshold of my home.”
“Parents’ concerns about their kids’ screen use often lead to anxiety-based control through contracts, apps, and filters. The result is usually alienated kids who haven’t learned self-control. Jonathan McKee will inspire and equip you with practical tools to build connection and influence with your kids, as you guide them toward true responsibility and wisdom with their cell phones and screens.”
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