Sunday, May 31, 2009

Girls Camp and Youth Idea

Kiss Them Good-Bye....
(And I don't mean your parents)
Yes, that is what I told the Young Women today at our Parent/Daughter Pre-Camp Meeting regarding their Cell Phones, ipods, or any other electronic device....
Kiss Them Good-Bye...they are not coming to camp, not for the ride up or the ride home. No.....they are not attending camp, in fact, they are not invited.
As I discussed this "rule", I passed around a bowl of Hershey Kisses and told them to take one. As they ate the Kiss, I wanted it to remind them to leave their electronics home so they could "plug in" to The Spirit at Young Women Camp and be prepared for a SWEET EXPERIENCE.
I told the Girls that if they can't fall asleep without headphones and music in their ears, that NOW is a good time to start practicing how to go to sleep without them.
If you are competing with Cell Phones and other electronics at your Weekly Youth Activities or during your Sunday Lessons, TAKE CHARGE. Have a Basket for checking in Cell Phones at arrival time. Don't allow your Youth to be plugged in elsewhere and not tuned in to the Activity/Lesson.
They sit in the same room and Text Message each other over and over and over...DON'T ALLOW IT. REAL Communication is quickly disappearing. We have generation of Text Message, Face Book, Cell Phone, ipod addicts on our hands. It is out of control everywhere I turn.
Tell them to KISS their phones and electronics goodbye during formal Activities and Lessons. When you present this "rule", take the edge off with a few Hershey Kisses and a large dose of your love. My girls know that I totally love them like my own. Asking them to Kiss their electronics Good-Bye was not a problem (yes, there was some grumbles, but no challenging the issue)
How do you deal with Cell Phone and ipod use during
Youth Activities and/or Sunday Lessons?
Is this a problem in your area?
Are the Parents just as bad?

3 comments:

Devynn said...

Yes, I usually get the comment "But I'm texting my MOM". I don't give a flying crap who they are texting. I ask them to put their phones under their chairs. If they can't do that they sit with their parents. I don't care. I don't spend time preparing to have them text all through my class. I HATE that. Yes, the parents are just as bad.

Doty Family said...

Uggghhh! Cell phones are a huge problem. We have a cell phone basket, but it does no good. It's something we really need to crack down on. For camp I put it in huge bold letters with a little not to the parents that we will give them a phone list so that in case of an emergency they can contact them. This is a darling idea! Thanks for sharing.

Laurel said...

AMEN. Love the way you handled it. I tell the girls they can't hear the spirit when they are texting...God doesn't use texting yet...UNPLUG from technology and PLUG IN to the spirit.

They'll do it when they understand why.

GOOD JOB YOU!!