I know it has been awhile since I (Melinda) have posted on the blog. I have been sharing pictures on instagram though, so if you would like to keep up with my creative projects, check it out.

My family and I just got back from a 70 day trip to the west coast and back. You can follow along on our adventures through our vlog. During that time we have been finishing up writing, editing, and publishing our new book. Here is what My Hubby wrote about the book, What’s in Your Pocket?, on the BecauseFamily blog.

I was asked last fall to help a few families with setting up security on their kids’ phones and computers. I went to their homes and sat with them and explained everything their children could do on their phones. I talked them through certain apps that are popular but their kids probably are too young to use. I even took them step by step through the process of setting up parental controls on their computers. Those opportunities were eye opening.

It didn’t take long to realize that this assistance was needed in more homes than I could ever visit. This is why my wife, Melinda, and I spent that last six months writing “‘What’s in Your Pocket?’ The parent’s guide to protecting your children online.” This book is short and sweet and intended to be a handbook to help parents gain the confidence they need to navigate their children’s online culture. The risks are real and the consequences are too dire to think about. We MUST pay attention to what our children are doing on their phones, tablets, or computers. 

“What’s in Your Pocket?” contains steps for finding out the info you need to set up your parental controls. It outlines a three step plan to affordably (almost free of cost) set up filters and accountability systems on your phones and computers, and it walks you through ideas for keeping communication open with your children about their online and social media accounts. You can buy the book on amazon. Buy one for yourself and your kids and your friends. 

To promote our book, we made a dry erase board style video. It was a lot of fun to draw for the video, and My Hubby edited and a friend did the voice over. I have enjoyed using my creativity to help our family’s ministry. Always remember that your creativity may look different from someone else’s, and what you are creative in can be super helpful to your family or work.