The Authority In Me: The Power of Family Life in the Network Culture - A Parent's Voice in the Cyber Wilderness

The Internet , the great home invasion of our time, makes it possible for kids to “Google” anything they think they need to know, and create a surreal “cyber reality” making the role of parents, teachers and other authority figures seem obscured, irrelevant and obsolete.

And it is truly more difficult for parents to really know what is going on in their children’s lives.

The beliefs to which our children are exposed tell them they are neither important, nor good enough unless they lower standards for personal security and surrender their inherent authority in the name of “freedom”.
On the surface these lies seem like the same old peer pressure of previous generations. What is not understood by many parents today is the amount of intense, surreal pressure applied through network technology that shapes their reality.

In our cyber powered world, children can “know” too much for their own good without wisdom for living an abundant life; and parents can become increasingly ignorant of what is going on in their children’s lives - making children especially vulnerable to the lies of the network culture.

There is no shortage of drama to illustrate this disconnect from truth.

Kids committing suicide in response to cyber bullying, or the bullies and bystanders being so bold as to promote and/or allow heinous and ruthless cyber-powered harassment campaigns against an individual; or the fact that the modern drug addict or alcoholic looks like your child because networked “friend communities” convince kids that taking prescription pain killers and binge drinking is the norm for youth entertainment, and for many it is a rite of passage.
Every kind of peer pressure we experienced is amplified, as if on steroids, and with the voice of parental wisdom silenced, can become all consuming.

The Internet removes all barriers and traditional boundaries, and parents are challenged to lead with genuine authority; the authority within each of us that inspired the founding of the republic of the United States.

Based upon the author’s faith, personal experience, research, and hundreds of conversations with parents, professionals and children, this book addresses how parents can better understand the world our children navigate as digital natives, and develop stronger, deeper more meaningful relationships that promote self-governance and the ability to discern truth from things that sound really good but are not true.

This book is for every parent who wonders, “Is it really just me who feels this way?” or who feels powerless against the tidal wave of pressure to “trust” their child because it’s no longer acceptable to double-check with other parents about the planned activities, or to insist honoring standards and enforcing consequences.

For every parent whose inner voice is screaming “this is wrong!” or “how can I help my suffering child?”-- there are answers. Very simple, profound answers found in the inherent authority of a parent that is a divine appointment. To be lost, parental authority must be surrendered. Understanding why and how to exercise that authority in genuine and authentic ways can lead you and your family onto a path of peace in a crazy, topsy-turvy world.

Giving a voice to the silent majority, this book addresses how parental authority is the key to meet the challenges and quell the anxiety of dealing with the seductive and sometimes outrageous claims of the network culture on the souls our children. This book explores how parents can develop purpose-driven perspectives essential to leading children in the network culture; cultivate self-governance in children at earlier ages; and develop house rules that promote personal security and confidence.