You Got Teens?

If any of you have teens or are gonna have teens I recommend you follow Family Life Radio this week. Family Life is a christian organization helping couples build healthier marriages and families. For years, as a young mom living in Dallas, I often was not able to get out. Focus on the Family and Family Life Radio were my moments in the day to fill my cup. The timing, mid-morning, was perfect! About the time as a mom you think there is no way I can make it through the day I could listen to these radio programs and be encouraged. I was ready to tackle the rest of the day with a purpose vs
just hanging on to the moment my husband walked in the door.

Parenting can be an amazing opportunity to influence these upcoming adults. At the same time it can be one of the most draining times as a parent. If you wait for them to become teens before you figure out what you are in for....you will constantly be one step behind. I enjoy watching those families that are just a few steps ahead of us. It gives us a picture/peek of what is in store.

It really is vital whether you are a parent to a baby, toddler, or teen - parents need parents! Just like teens need teens to realize they are not the only ones to have crazy parents.

Parents need parents to realize they are not the only ones staying up all night with a nursing baby, or now left with washing another load of laundry as they potty train, and if you have teen the constant asking to go, do, be, and go again!

I find that I often get frustrated with my teens, but when I look around, they are no different than any other teen. Actually, when I look around I am quite pleased with my teens. They love the Lord, they love one another, and they desire to do well. I forget that at times. And I tend to think they are just trying to make me insane. The late nights, constant food, dropping of things in hand or foot wherever they choose to drop, their blindness to those things dropped, the last minute homework because they forgot they had not finished (even though I had already asked!), and then the constant asking, begging to go, do, and be, AGAIN!

I used to joke with young moms that if you want to feel good about your little kids, take them to the McDonald's playground. Chances are in no time you will think yours are much more under control than you thought. Often when I thought the kids were not being obedient taking them there showed me they were obedient, they were just kids!

I am discovering the same scenario with teens. But the location has changed. You either need to have some in your house, hang with some at an activity, or take a long car ride. You will discover that your crazy teen is NORMAL! It does me good to surround myself with other teens to keep me understanding, loving, and admiring my kids - right where they are at!

Do you know what makes your teen tick? Find out from Shanti Fieldhahn and Lisa Rice on Family Life Radio.

Do you know what is on their mind and what they desire most?

Go to the top of the blog just under our family picture and look at the Links I Like, click on the link. It is a link to find the radio stations that play Family Life Radio. I look forward to hearing what she has to share and would love to hear what you heard. Every little bit of information helps me to be more in tune to my teens. I may not always be aware of where my teens are and what their needs may be, but there is a world eagerly ready to give them any desire they may want to fulfill. As a parent I need to point them back to Christ so they can know how to put those desires in right balance as they live for HIM.

I find my biggest challenge is how do I point them back to Christ without frustrating and exasperating my teens. I don't want to lose my influence on them. Therefore I need to be a parent studying my teens! Sometimes that is watching my specific teens and sometimes that is learning the pull and desires of all teens. Just like all babies desire to be held and rocked, children love to play, teens fight for their independence. Are you grabbing your moments to learn about teens?