FRIDAY
NOVEMBER 22
“Be
clear minded and self-controlled.” 1 Pe 4:7 NIV
GETTING
THEM FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADULTHOOD (2)
Going from childhood to adulthood is a transition
that requires a lot of wisdom and love. Your teen will feel and behave
child-like sometimes, and adult-like other times. Your job is to realize that
whatever their status, they will become a man (woman) and they will remain an
adult! Navigating through their child-adult struggles elevates your teen’s
stress levels, sometimes making them feel out of control. To help them become a
mature adult: (1) Be rational, not
reactive. Your role requires you to
be “clear minded and self-controlled.” Be the grownup; you cannot help your
child to become an adult if you’re not one. (2)
Be their parent, not their buddy. They need someone “in charge” to shepherd them
toward maturity. If you abdicate your role because you’re afraid of your child’s
anger, rejection or unhappiness, you abandon them to their own confused ways.
You are the calm God put in their storm—the lighthouse to guide them. In the
short term, the may consider your values, rules, lifestyle and morals outdates.
Expect no less; that’s par for the course in parenting. Hold this line! Forget
becoming “cool” by lowering your standards; that’s a no-win alternative to good
parenting. They’ll challenge you if you’re not cool and they’ll challenge you
if you are. (Nothing is as “uncool” to a teen as a parent trying to be “cool”!)
Be yourself, maintain biblical standards; they need you to have character. Yes,
they’ll fight you now, but if you remain resolute, loving, and consistent, they’ll
follow in your footsteps.
Taken
from the Word for you Today devotional
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