A song by Brendan Abernathy was relentlessly mocked on TikTok this week, rumors are swirling about the SEC potentially leaving the NCAA, a cooperative Elden Ring spinoff called Nightreign has taken off in the video game space, stuffed keychain monsters called Labubu are getting insanely popular, and an interview with OKC star Chet Holmgren where he describes his favorite books has resurfaced as his team heads to the NBA finals.
Resource of the Week: The Conversation Starter (YouTube)
Have you ever bought or recommended something to your teen, only to find out later it was definitely not appropriate? If you know, you know. If you’ve ever done this or something similar that made you feel like the worst mom (or dad, or youth leader, or coach) ever, you’ll definitely relate to our new YouTube video. In it, you’ll hear the story of when a manga box set gift went sideways—and how one mom turned it all around. It’s the latest episode in our new YouTube show, The Conversation Starter. Click here to check it out!
And now for our three conversations…
1. Switch Up
What it is: The successor to the Nintendo Switch, aptly named the Switch 2, was released this week, but not everyone is in a hurry to get their hands on one.
Why you’re probably okay waiting to buy this one: If you’re fine with how your old Switch runs the games, why should you spend $450 to buy this brand new one? Well, there’s a new Mario Kart out now (that’s $80!) and a new Donkey Kong game next month, but aside from those two games, there are no big, truly exclusive games made for the new system. If your teen loves games, there may not be a strong case for buying a Switch 2 right now unless you want your old Switch games to play better (which by the way, will also cost you money) or you want some new Mario Kart in your life.
Continue the conversation: Are you excited for the new Switch?
2. New Attitude
What it is: Gen Z is rejecting the narrative that the porn industry is empowering. In fact, many prominent young writers and celebrities are coming out to say it is the opposite.
Why it’s a flashpoint: The internet brought the sexual content industry from niche to mainstream in less than twenty years’ time. Porn is now found on 12% of websites. And for decades, the cultural narrative has called consumers to treat porn like any other money-making enterprises. But young people, particularly women, are catching on to this folly—in part, because it has become so obvious. “Modern porn is unlike anything else in history. Children are learning about sex for the first time from social media algorithms designed to drag them toward ever-more degrading content,” writes Freya India in Jonathan Haidt’s Substack, After Babel. When a young person’s earliest sexual exposure is depersonalized or degraded, it is no wonder they later feel alienated or disconnected when it is time for real intimacy.
Continue the conversation: How do you think your generation thinks about porn?
3. Ties That Bind
What it is: A story in the New York Times explores the unique challenges of so-called “grandfamilies,” in which grandparents serve as primary caregivers for their grandkids.
Who it is impacting: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 6.7 million adults live with their grandchildren. Of this number, about a third are the primary or sole caretaker for their grandkids. This dynamic occurs for all sorts of reasons—financial convenience or a preference for community living, for example. But oftentimes, there are tragic circumstances at play, including mental illness, disability, and death of an adult child. The grandparents highlighted in this first-person essay are a Christian couple raising four grandchildren after raising five of their own kids. They admit that they’re very, very, tired. But they also say that raising their daughter’s children feels like a deep and special way to love their daughter, who lives with substance use disorder.
Let’s translate this one further…
My mother-in-law happened to be in town this week, and she helped me get my kids ready for school. She lent a hand as I made lunches, signed permission slips, wrangled breakfast, and somehow, found everybody clean socks. At some moments, she was nostalgic, exclaiming, “You have so much fun with them!” At others, she was in disbelief. She kept saying, “I can’t believe I used to do all of…this.”
For several million American seniors, the joy, hope, and love of raising young ones hasn’t ended. It still includes endless drop-offs, pick-ups, grocery bills, sports practices, driver’s ed fees, and homework signatures. But now, they “do it all” for the next generation: their grandkids.
Caring for grandchildren can be freeing, in some ways. Priorities are clearer. Time feels precious, like it should. It’s easier to fixate on what you can control, like giving love and support, rather than pushing for what you can’t control, like straight A’s and big achievements from your grandkids.
But when you’re the sole caretaker, the moments of joy are sometimes overwhelmed by the reality that raising kids and teens is bone-tiring, especially when you’re older and may have had a different story for later life in mind.
I admire the faithfulness of the Dodds family, as does their daughter, who shared their story with the Times. She writes, “If there’s one thing I’ve gathered from watching my parents raise children, it’s what a crushing, life-giving contagion hope can be.” Their grandkids aren’t a burden, they’re a blessing; a reminder that the story isn’t over yet.
Michael Dodds often quotes I Corinthians 13:13, the verse that describes the three enduring virtues. “Three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” “Love is the big one,” he says, “but people don’t pay much attention to hope. Even though it’s there all the time, right behind love.” Grandfamilies are working toward a legacy where love burns bright, but hope and faith keeps the fire fed.
For more context and nuance, check out our Roundtable podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. In the meantime, here are three questions to spark conversation with your teens:
- Who is an older person in our community that you admire? How can we recognize them?
- Do you ever imagine what your life might be like when you are an older adult? What do you hope to do in that phase of life?
- Does our family’s everyday life feel grounded in love? What about hope and faith?
PS: Know someone who could use our conversation starters with their teens? Share the CT with a friend!