Talk like a Teen

Do you have a teen or a tween?  I have one teen and two tweens.  Let me just say that I've noticed they don't talk the same as I do.  They are moody, and emotional, and sensitive at all times (Wait, I think my husband may see a pattern learned from me! LOL!).  They also want to stay up really late to just "chat" with mom and dad.

They have changed the way they want to communicate - So what's a parent to do?

2Timothy 4:2  Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (NIV)


 When I read the last part of that verse, with great patience and careful instruction, I begin to see the answer.  God knew that our children would be changing and growing and so He instructed us on how to handle these new situations - use great patience and careful instruction.

For this we need to be in the Word, continually in prayer and above all, listen for the voice of the Lord.  Look for opportunities to feed the Word of God into their souls in every situation.  If we aren't meditating daily on God's Word ourselves, we won't be prepared to feed it to our children.

Where does the great patience come in?  I've found that most of the time, they will not respond immediately to the instruction I'm giving them. I need to give them the space they need to "chew on it."  Instead of expecting immediate repentance, they need time to ponder and pray about it themselves.  When I've taken the care to give them space, it has always resulted in a change of heart.

I remember a recent incident where two of my tween/teen girls (I'll call them A and B) were bickering terribly with one another.  They were being down right cruel and I was shocked!  I went to my room (I too need space to have that patient heart!) and prayed. I asked for wisdom and felt the Lord gave me very wise instruction from the Word for them.

I sat them down and read the Word and then explained it to them.  NOTHING!  That's when I decided to just seperate them.  They went to their rooms for a time and then went on about their day.  Still no sign of real repentence.  I was distrought!  I called my husband and asked for prayer and just fretted for hours over their seemingly lack of love for eachother.

Then God gave me a nugget.  It was bedtime and as I walked passed one of their bedrooms, I heard the following conversation:

A says, "B, I'm sorry for the things I said to you today, you know, I really love you."

B replies, "A, I'm sorry, too.  I guess I was being selfish. I'm so glad you're my sister - love you too!"

With that I went to my room and wept (Both tears of joy and relief).  It was during this trial that I realized teens need to process themselves before they can experience true repentance.

It reminds me of planting a seed.  We can plant it, and water it and even give it light, but only God can cause it to grow (and growth usually takes time).  He is the life giver.