PARENtEEN

12/01/2023

I had to push pause on PARENtEEN in the past few years, but if you're seeing this, I highly recommend you check out the fabulous parenting resources at Axis!

11/11/2021

A beautiful prayer for parents today! Click the link to read the full prayer. Here's an excerpt: "Father, teach us how to care for them as humble stewards, not as anxious owners—as hopeful encouragers, not as self-appointed sheriffs. Shaming never wins, but you tell us, 'love never fails.'”

“All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.” Isa. 54:13; “I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.” Isa. 44:3 Heavenly Father, thank you for the stunning hope these passages give us about our “offspring.” Continue...

03/09/2021

This is a well balanced message with practical help for parents of teens!

Pastor Shane shares on ways to not exasperate your children and raise them to know and love Jesus.

11/17/2020

If you've ever questioned your teen's choices in dating, you will find this helpful. Great conversations to have, even starting in the late elementary years!

Through countless conversations with our kids regarding relationships, we kept coming back to a list of questions that might help define “the right person”.

10/08/2020

08/08/2020

Here's a great resource of articles pertaining to teenagers and youth culture!

https://cpyu.org/resource_category/research-and-news/

07/26/2020

Regardless of the overall closeness of the parent-teen relationship, the study found that the more parents showed affection, praise and understanding, the more their teens reported feeling loved.

A new study from the Yale Child Study Center finds that parents can lessen the effects of conflict with their teenage children by showing emotional warmth.

04/22/2020

Here are some helpful tips to build healthy family communication during this extended time of being together!

02/19/2020

😂

02/15/2020

The Grammy-award winning teen’s dark music can help us have necessary conversations with our children.

02/09/2020

This is a particularly good read if you have teens who are into music. Understand that your teens will most likely gravitate to a musical icon you won't like (and might even feel scary to you).

Find out WHY they feel drawn to that artist or activity by asking questions. And ask God to use that connection to draw your teen to Himself. He can do that, you know!

Art helps all of us make sense out of being human, even middle-aged mothers trying desperately to stay connected to their fifteen-year-old sons.

02/07/2020

Have you ever felt like the only one having a hard time parenting your teen? This is a great reminder that you are not alone.

So here’s the thing about parenting teenagers.

It sort of makes us into liars.

Like when someone asks how our tall kids are we say things like...

Great! They’re starting football in the fall!

Or

They just got into a great school!

Or

They’re doing the play right now and it’s so much fun.

All this may be true, but we are all only telling one side of the story.

Because our tall people now demand privacy we can no longer spill our guts and instead we only show our shiny side.

Plus what would people think of us if we said...

Actually, they’re failing 2 classes right now and we have no idea why.

Or

Well, I just found a giant bottle of vodka in their closet so I’m pretty freaked out.

Or

They’re being treated for depression and anxiety and it came out of nowhere.

Not only would that lead to a conversation that’s way too long to have in the aisle of Aldi, but we also would tell a story that’s not really ours to tell.

Just like we wouldn’t spill the story of a friend who’s having marital problems or who’s dying to quit their job, we can’t share so much of what’s going on with our kids.

And yet we’re supposed to parent them through unchartered waters and we desperately need to tell the hard truths to someone who can support us so we can support our kids.

And so often I just want to yell...is anyone else experiencing this madness?? What the heck am I supposed to do?? Help me out here man because it seems like all your kids are just fine and we are a hot mess today my friends.

The truth is...we are all a hot mess even if we can’t tell each other why.

So when that friend answers you with the shiny side of their lives...telling you about the honor roll and great job their kid got, remember there are things they are not saying.

Just like there are things you are not saying.

So after sharing our shiny side, I say let’s look each other in the eye and give a little wink to show behind the scenes things are so hard you’re not sure how you’re standing. Although I tend toward the awkward so maybe that’s weird.

Maybe instead just know in your heart their kids struggle too so be extra kind just in case. Maybe open up about the hard parts where you can. Maybe have coffee with people who you trust with your own private life to help you navigate your kids’.

And always, always know no matter what you are hearing you are not alone.

Life is hard for everyone and these years spent parenting teens are no joke. No one is making it through unscathed.

Let’s not forget that fact, even in the middle of the night when we’re staring at the ceiling. Know there’s bound to be another parent just a few blocks away doing the same thing.

We’ve got this and we have to have each other...let’s be there friends, even when we don’t know the story because we don’t have to know the details to know it’s probably darn hard. And we parents of tall kids need a village more than ever.

Amy❤️