40% Percentage of kids who have their own cell phone by fifth
grade. That number jumps to around 83 percent by the time
kids reach middle school, according to research collected by
Elizabeth Englander from Bridgewater State University.
(cdn.theatlantic.com)
64 MILLION The number of kids who play video games. That's
91 percent of all U.S. children. Kids ages 2 to 5 make up the
fastest growing segment of little gamers
(npdgroup.com)
55% The percentage of grandparents who say the grim economy
hasn't changed how much they spend on their grandkids, according to
a 2012 report by AARP. Those who say the economy has changed
their buying habits say they're buying less expensive gifts and
giving less for special occasions. aarp.org
THREE TIMES How much more time kids ages birth to 8 spend
watching TV or video than they do reading in a day.
(commonsensemedia.org)
OVER HALF The percentage of parents who admit they check
their kids' Facebook activity by logging into the account,
according to a survey by Minor Monitor. These parents also
said it didn't matter whether they had their child's
permission. minormonitor.com
22% The percentage of adults (18 and older) who read the
Bible with their kids at least three times per year, according to
research done on behalf of the American Bible Society.
(uncover.american.bible.org)
12.5 Million The number of obese kids ages 2 to 19 in the
U.S. from 2009 through 2010. The same study fund 18 percent
of children ages 6 to 11 to be obese, according to the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
(cdc.gov)
What's in a Name What baby names are least liked?
Laura Wattenberg has spent over a decade studying how and why
parents choose specific names for their kids. On her blog,
BabyNameWizard.com, she recently posted the results of an informal
poll on which names earned the most negative feedback. Most
disliked for girls: "nevaeh" (Heaven spelled backwards).
Disliked for boys: names ending with "-aden" sounds, such as
Jayden, brayden, and Kaden. (babynamewizard.com)
GROWING UP TOO SOON A new study performed by researchers at Duke
University links childhood stress to increased biological
aging. The results can cause systemic damage-to a child's
immune system, for example-in the long term.
(livescience.com)
REMEMBER WHEN...Babies remember more than we think. By 9
months, babies can repeat a three step action sequence a month
after they learn it. Doing simple, active teaching with your
babies and toddlers really helps them learn and remember God's
Word. Source: Slate Magazine (Nicholas Day)
WATCH FOR ABUSE Every year nearly 6 million children
in the U.S. experience child abuse, and four children under age 4
die each day due to abuse. If you see evidence of abuse or
hear a child talk about being abused, report it
immediately. Source: (childhelp.org)
SINGLE PARENT HOUSHOLDS Over 40 percent of U.S. kids today
are born to single moms. Studies show children with
single mothers are at higher risk for social, behavioral, or
emotional issues, so work with your ministry team to
support these special families. Source:
greenbaypressgazette.com
PORNOGRAPHY EXPOSURE About a third of 10-year-olds have
been exposed to sexual images online-even during innocent word
searches-according to The Christian Institute. Be vigilant
and spread awareness with parents regarding kids' online
activities. Source: Christian.org.uk
Criminal Categories Of all criminal background checks for
potential church volunteers that uncovered charges, the most common
criminal categories found were substance abuse (25%),
theft/fraud/burglary (22%), traffic (19%), and criminal intent
(8%). Source: Group's Church Volunteer
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