In This Issue . . .

BY SANDRA BLACKMER

Technology has profoundly altered the way in which we view our world. Cell phones, iPads, video games . . . Facebook, MySpace, Twitter . . . Google, YouTube, chat rooms—our lives are filled with terms and concepts that those of us who aren’t quite so young anymore could barely imagine when we were maneuvering the teen years and taking our first steps into the working world. We rarely undergo a day now without encountering and utilizing technology countless times in one form or another. So is this good or bad? Or is it perhaps both? And what advantages as well as danger signs should parents look for when raising children in today’s tech-savvy society?

In this special issue of Adventist Review you’ll explore biblical principles of family relationships, methods of inculcating values from parents to children, unexpected benefits of simply eating family meals together, and connections between the use of social media and contemporary societal challenges such as childhood obesity, sleep deprivation, and academic achievement. Bible- and research-based studies will provide you with food for thought, ammunition to effect change, and springboards to further study.

Above all, we pray that these articles will inspire readers to develop a balanced, informed approach to the use of technology—an approach that will enhance the physical and spiritual well-being of our greatest blessing: our children.