The Teen's Guide to Face-to-Face Connections in a Screen-to-Screen World: 40 Tips to Meaningful Communication

by Jonathan McKee, Alyssa McKee

Overview

What if your phone truly helped you connect with people more than disconnect with those around you?
You CAN dare to be relationally different in a screen-to-screen culture.
 
But. . .honestly, I like my phone.
So what should I do?
 
You probably enjoy screens but don’t want them hurting your relationships with the people who matter most, right?  What if you could improve your face-to-face relationships, develop deeper connections, resolve conflict, and confidently communicate with friends, parents, teachers, roommates, coworkers, potential employers…even the barista at your local coffee shop?
 
What if you paused to think before you posted, avoiding some of the hurt and consequences that almost always lead to regret after?

What if you became a master of your own screen-time instead of letting it master you?

What if you became more screen-wise?
 

40 real-life realizations including. . .

* Your phone doesn’t have an UNSEND button.

*Texting is a dumb way to manage conflict.

* We all need a digital detox every once in a while.

* Sometimes less is more.
* Phones are a great tool for connecting with people outside of the room when they don’t interfere with the people inside the room

* Sometimes the people we love the most are the people we ignored all day.

Author and youth culture expert, Jonathan McKee, and his daughter Alyssa McKee, uncover forty random realizations they’ve discovered over the last five years.  Screens provide fun platforms to connect with faraway friends; and sometimes the people we love the most are the people we ignore all day.  Jonathan and Alyssa help young adults navigate face-to-face communication in a screen-to-screen world too!  Maybe they’ll help you navigate face-to-face communication in a screen-to-screen world too!
 
 
 

 
 
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643528229
Publisher:	Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/01/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Jonathan McKee is an expert on youth culture and the author of more than twenty books, including The Bullying Breakthrough, The Teen's Guide to Social Media. . .and Mobile Devices, and The Guy’s Guide to God, Girls, and the Phone in Your Pocket. He has over twenty years of youth-ministry experience and speaks to parents and leaders worldwide. For more from Jonathan, go to TheSource4Parents.com or follow him on Twitter.com/InJonathansHead.



 

Table of Contents

440 Miles Apart 9

I Wish I Knew: Confessions of Alyssa 11

40 Random Realizations 21

1 Senior Cut Day 23

2 Connected Disconnect 27

3 Less is More 32

4 The Gift 36

5 In 30 to 60 Days 41

6 Insta-Gratification 47

7 Reappear 55

8 Liar, Liar 61

9 The Chainsaw 70

10 Killing Small Talk 75

11 You're Fired 80

12 Cell Phone Coop 85

13 Power Outage 90

14 Talk to Me 94

15 Talk, Text, Facetime, Call 101

16 F Wish My Family Did That 106

17 The People Inside The Room 111

18 Say it to My Face 115

19 Fire 121

20 Terri 125

21 Ed Sheeran 132

22 Friend Request From Papa 137

23 DM Me 143

24 Weapons of Mass Self-Destruction 150

25 A Minute 154

26 Voice Messages 159

27 Shaq and Kobe 164

28 Apps for Days 167

29 From Opposite Sides of the Planet 171

30 McKee Annual Christmas Pageant 176

31 Caught Red-Handed 181

32 Attack of the Killer Squirrels 186

33 ZZZZZZZZ 191

34 Stupid Guy No. 3 196

35 Five Songs that Make You Think 200

36 Todd Chamberlin 208

37 The Fine Art of Shutting Up 212

38 First Kiss 216

39 Influencer: Possibility or Fantasy? 222

40 Reflections from a Media Minimalist 229

Looking Back 233

Editorial Reviews

Smartphones and social media dominate daily life and prevent people from making meaningful, face-to-face connections – but only if we let them. Youth culture expert Jonathan McKee and his daughter, Alyssa, give excellent advice on how to take control of our devices and start enjoying real, authentic relationships.”
–Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family

“Teen’s Guide to Face-to-Face is highly relevant and tailor-made to meet young Christians where they’re at. By addressing head-on the broad impact of technology on young people and their relationships, Jonathan and Alyssa challenge readers to notice the world beyond their screens and experience the freedom and joy of genuine relationships.”
–Greg Stier, Founder and CEO of Dare 2 Share

“Jonathan and Alyssa’s book is a sobering peek into my own teenagers’ relationship with their screens. Alyssa’s confessions about her own experience with social media are not only vulnerable and insightful, they will resonate with today’s teenagers. Really enjoyed this book, and I know the digitally-concerned parent will enjoy going through it with their teen!”
–Josh Griffin, Co-founder of Download Youth Ministry & Junior High Pastor Mariners Church

“Teen’s Guide to Face-to-Face by Alyssa and Jonathan McKee is so timely! In the midst of the largest pandemic in modern history, we are learning even more how important face-to-face connection really is! I don’t know about you but not being able to connect with people in person has left me yearning for  connection to my loved ones on a deeper level. Jonathan and Alyssa remind us of the importance of being present, especially if that means logging off IG and FB and tapping into real relationships.” 
–Maggie John, TV Anchor/Producer - Context Beyond the Headlines

“Jonathan McKee’s passionate research into the impact of technology on our kids has provided him with a message that every kid and their parents need to hear. (In fact, his seminar to our parents couldn’t have been better. I’ve never had more positive feedback.) And now Jonathan’s newest book, written with his daughter, is refreshing and insightful. Jonathan’s knowledge of the subject coupled with his daughter’s authenticity are a killer combination providing the perfect resource both parents and kids can read together.”
–Bob Johns, Youth Pastor, First Woodway
 
“Jonathan’s latest book may be one of his best yet. . .in part, due to the team effort of him and Alyssa McKee.  They each bring an incredible amount of experience and wisdom wrapped up in an intergenerational volley of ideas, stories, and challenges that allow every reader to connect and learn.  In a world that has become more distant, the need for actual face time becomes critical to the health of our relationships.”
–Don Talley, Associate Vice President, YFC USA

“If ever there was a need for a one-of-a-kind book to help you develop real connections in a virtual world, now is that time. Jonathan McKee is already my go-to-guy for anything related to young Christians and the culture they’re navigating, and now he’s partnered with his daughter, Alyssa, to write an important, accessible guidebook. The Teen’s Guide to Face-to-Face Connections in a Screen-to-Screen World is written from two unique generational perspectives and will immediately resonate with parents and teens. If you’re looking for some help understanding and living authentically in a world dominated by virtual relationships, this book is for you.”
 –J. Warner Wallace, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, author of Cold-Case Christianity and So the Next Generation Will Know

“Once upon a time, we had face-to-face conversations. But the explosion of screens—especially our smartphones—has radically changed how we relate to one another. If you’ve noticed this tendency in your life and would like to make some changes, Jonathan and Alyssa McKee’s book is for you. They’ll help you understand how we got here. And through their fun and accessible stories, they’ll offer concrete ideas on what it takes to make changes that stick—and to once again discover why face-to-face communication is so much more satisfying than the screen-to-screen substitute we sometimes settle for instead.”
–Adam R. Holz, Director of Plugged In, Focus on the Family’s media and technology discernment website
 
“Face-to-face friendships and relationships today are more difficult to navigate and engage in than ever before as we live in an online world. Jonathan and Alyssa McKee share their challenges and what they have learned in an inviting way. They offer 40 Realizations and more than 230 questions to help all of us become better in our own personal relationships!”
–Mark W. Kirgiss, Sr. Area Director, Greater Lafayette Young Life

“Youth workers have seen the landscape of youth culture transformed by digital communication. Alyssa and Jonathan capture relevant topics with fun stories that lead readers to participate in constructive conversations with practical wisdom. I personally love the questions in each chapter which can help spark meaningful conversations with young people. You hold in your hands a great resource for intentional discussions to help you enjoy greater face-to-face time with your family!”
–Reverend Wayne Morgan Jr., National Ministries Director, National Network of Youth Ministries
 
“Given generational differences, navigating screens in relationships can be one of the toughest challenges for families today. I’m thankful for Jonathan and Alyssa, father and daughter, for writing a well-researched, honest, and practical guide for building healthy relationships in our screen-based world. This book is a godsend.”
–Sean McDowell, PhD, Biola University Professor, speaker, and author of over 15 books including So the Next Generation Will Know

“I have been a fan of Jonathan McKee’s ministry for a long time. As the father of a teenage daughter, his practical advice wrapped in awesome humor and hard-hitting truth have helped our family navigate through the craziness of the digital age. He has helped us to see both the dangers and goodness of social media and mobile devices. As a Pastor who is passionate about building relationships with Gen Z, I am convinced that the book you hold in your hands is the key to the deep, meaningful conversations that transform our hearts. Alyssa and Jonathan have given parents and pastors a phenomenal gift. This book lays out a road map to real parent-child connections that will last a lifetime. The good news is we don’t have to throw away our iPhones, unsubscribe to Netflix, or cancel all our social media accounts. But, we must embrace the powerful truth that face-to-face is better!”
–Chris Brooks, National Radio Host - Equipped with Chris Brooks, Senior Pastor Woodside Bible Church
 

From the Publisher