A parenting resource from Engage Family Ministries
EVERY PARENT NEEDS A PLAN
HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR KID IS
READY FOR A SMARTPHONE
"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail"
-Benjamin Franklin
Most families don't have a tech plan for their family. They simply react in real time without a plan. By the time conflict shows up, habits are already formed, emotions are high, and parents are feeling like they are on the defensive.
Before You Give A Kid A Smartphone gives you a simple, Biblical framework so you can decide if your teen is ready for a smartphone, what to allow and what to delay...without fear, guesswork or hours of watching YouTube videos.
IN JUST A FEW HOURS, YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH:
A written Family Values Statement
A clear yes/no/later decision about a smartphone for your teen
A written Family Tech Mission Statement for your home that matches your values
Simple boundaries that reduce future conflict and promotes peace in your home
How This Course Helps Your Family
Our Online Training
Through short, text based lessons and practical worksheets, this course helps you:
You’ll Learn:
Clarify your family’s values around technology.
Decide what to allow now, what to delay, and why.
Assess your child’s readiness without shame or comparison.
Design simple home boundaries that reduce future conflict.
Have conversations that build trust instead of last minute arguments.
FROM OVERWHELMED
TO LEADING WITH CONFIDENCE
The L.E.A.D. Pathway moves your family step by step: from laying a Biblical foundation to disciplining hearts through ongoing conversation. Each stage builds on the one before it.
The L.E.A.D. Pathway
The Course Framework
Lay the Foundation
Biblical Foundations for Tech Use
Family Values Discussion
Build Your Tech Family Mission Statement
Evaluate Readiness
What does "ready" even mean?
Tech Ready Evaluation for Your Teen
How to Delay Smartphone Use
Align the Environment
Tech Boundary Systems for Your Home
The Family Tech Plan
Tech Set up Map
Disciple through conversation
Family Conversation Plan
Conversation Scripts
Handling Objections
Meet Your Guide
Steve Otey is a father of four, veteran youth and family pastor, communicator, and entrepreneur who has spent more than two decades helping kids, teens, and parents thrive in a rapidly changing culture.
After years of serving in full-time ministry by teaching, counseling families, leading student programs, and leading camps and conferences, Steve clearly understands that the world kids are growing up in is moving faster than most families can manage.
That conviction led Steve and his wife Sara to create Engage Family Ministries,
a nonprofit dedicated to equipping parents with the tools, truth, and confidence they need to raise emotionally strong, spiritually grounded kids in the digital age.
In addition to his pastoral work, Steve is also the creator of a game that has reached millions of students around the world: 9 Square in the Air. Through years of working with schools, churches, camps, and youth organizations, Steve has had a front-row seat to the state of today’s generation...its challenges, pressures, habits, anxieties, and opportunities. From late-night cabin conversations at summer camp to mentor sessions with parents, he has walked with families through everything from device addiction and sleep loss to friendship drama, mental health struggles, and spiritual drift.
Steve has taught, trained, and encouraged leaders from every corner of the U.S., and his experience allows him to bridge the world of ministry, youth culture, technology, business and family life in a way that is practical, research-based, and full of hope.
Today, Steve spends his time writing, teaching, creating seminars, and developing resources for Christian parents, including his original course, Hope For The Anxious Generation, a step-by-step roadmap for navigating smartphones, social media, anxiety, and modern teen culture with wisdom.
At the heart of everything Steve does is a simple belief:
Parents don’t need to be perfect. They just need to be present, intentional, and connected to God's truth.
Steve and his family are passionate about helping parents build homes where the Gospel is lived, relationships are strengthened, and kids can grow into resilient, confident, faith-filled adults.
Exactly What You Get Today
Full text-based access to the LEAD Pathway
Family Tech Mission Statement
Delay & Decision Worksheet
Family Tech Plan template
Peer-pressure & conversation scripts
Our Phone Foundation worksheet
Teen Tech Readiness Scorecard
Training Phone Pathway Plan
15 Minute Family Conversation script
Monthly & Quarterly review templates
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Take This Course with Friends?
Absolutely! In fact, we'd encourage it! Whether it's you and your spouse, a small group, or a parenting class at a church or school, we think learning this material with others will only deepen your conversations and help you to clarify your insights!
Plus, we don't charge more for the course if you'll be be using it with a larger group, so invite away!
What If I Don't Know Much About Teen Culture?
This course is perfect for you! You don't have to know much of anything at this point about teen culture, and Steve breaks down essentials you need to know for this topic.
How Long Do I Have Access to the Course & When Does It Start?
You'll have access to all sessions immediately, and the course is completely at your own pace, so there's no deadline to complete it.
Do I Need to Have a Teen Before Starting?
No! In fact, if your kids are younger, now is a great time to learn this information. You will be equipped with knowledge essential to help your family make wise decisions about how to use technology.
Should I Invest In This Course Before Buying a Smartphone For My Child?
Absolutely! The low price of this course will pay massive dividends in your home if you think through these crucial topics before giving your child a smartphone. You can literally help your child avoid life altering bad decisions with the information in this course.
OUR PROMISE TO YOU
THE 7-DAY GUARANTEE
YOU DONT' HAVE TO WONDER IF THIS WILL HELP.
Work through the core lessons and key worksheets within 7 days. If you don't feel more clear and confident about your family's smartphone decisions, email us and we'll refund your purchase of the course. No questions asked.
No quizzes to make sure you did the work. No hoops.
As a parent, you already have enough going on!
Just our promise to serve your family well.
Before You Give A Kid A Smartphone
A Christian Parent's Starter Plan
"Build a wise, God honoring tech foundation before a smartphone enters your home."
