Updated
kac october 20 2009

Understanding Youth Culture

Youth Culture Changes Rapidly

Youth culture changes rapidly and it can be tough to stay current on what’s happening in the teen world. It is virtually impossible for parents to see every teen movie or know every new band that comes on the scene, but it is important for them to be aware of the larger trends in youth culture. Having some knowledge of current teen culture can certainly help parents engage their teen in discussions about important topics.

Trends in Youth Culture

Looking for general information about current trends in youth culture?

• The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding has extensive music and movie reviews, thought provoking articles on popular culture, and resources for parents and youth workers. They also send e-updates. According to their website: “At a time when an already confusing youth culture is changing quickly, CPYU helps parents, youth workers, educators, and others understand teenagers and their culture so that they will be better equipped to help children and teens navigate the challenging world of adolescence.”
• Busted Halo is a website for “spiritual seekers.”
• Urban Dictionary is a web-based dictionary of slang words and phrases where new terms are submitted and rated by site users and monitored by volunteer editors. (May contain offensive content.)

Technology

It seems that every week someone is introducing a new piece of technology that is supposed to make our “To Do List” shorter, our jobs simpler, and our lives generally happier. Many argue whether or not this actually happens.

While people debate the pros and cons of modern technology, parents are charged with the task of deciding what new gadgets they should allow into their home and what guidelines should govern their use.

• NetSmartz411: Internet Safety Helpdesk is an internet safety site run by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. It is great for parents who have questions about internet safety, computers, cell phones, and technology. Also has Spanish language resources.
• The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children site has general safety resources for parents and those that work with youth.
• Safekids.com and Connectsafely.org are two sites that provide tips on using the Internet and technology safely.

Media

Keeping track of the latest movies, music, television, books, etc. can be challenging. Knowing what movies parents should allow their teenager to see can be even more challenging.

Here are some web sites that provide movie reviews from Christian perspective. Some sites also provide discussion questions which parents may want to use to spark discussion after they see the movie.

• The Daughters of St. Paul is a religious order dedicated to using media to communicate the love of Christ. Check out their movie reviews.
• American Catholic and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also provide movie reviews.   
• Plugged In Online is sponsored by Focus on the Family and has music, movies/videos, television, and game reviews. You can also sign up for an e-newsletter.