Recently, our parents had the opportunity to view Kirk Cameron’s film, Connect, as part of our Parent.Ed series. The film is a documentary depicting the quandary Kirk and his wife found themselves in after purchasing cell phones for their six children. As many of us do, the couple felt pressured by their children to provide the devices. Quickly, they begun questioning their decision to grant their children’s requests. The film walks the viewer through the journey that Kirk travels to determine the best way to educate himself on the dangers of technology, specifically social media. He is also on a quest to discover the best way to monitor his children’s use of technology and assist them in finding a balance with their use of technology.

For children today, social media is not a passing phase — it is part of their daily lives. What can parents do to protect their children in the new social media culture? In order to help protect our kids, we need to remain current in an area that is constantly changing. Here are some resources that parents may find helpful in learning how to best keep teens and pre-teens safe while navigating the online world.