Engaging Your Teen’s World

Everyday you encounter a culture your teen is a part of whose values, morality, and beliefs are different from your own. Many of your responses to this world are reactive and rooted in fear, blame, or anger. But there is a response that gives both grace and understanding without compromising holiness and wholeness. How you respond to your teen’s world will largely determine the healthy of your relationship with them.

Teens can seem irrational at times when it comes to making decisions. They do things that would make any parent question, “What were you thinking?” In reality, their decisions are rooted in a system of values not unlike your own. Unfortunately, many times they don’t know how to have God-given needs met and end up making choices that take them further away from who God meant for them to be. Now you can understand and help shape those values and how their needs are met.

At the end of the day, being a great parent is not so much about your own ability to lead or instruct your child. It comes down to your willingness to lay down control and rely on the Holy Spirit. Letting Him speak through and guide your words and actions as mom/dad.