What Every
Parent Ought
To Know…
1. “Great parents” don’t always guarantee
“great kids”. One of the most distorted verses
in Scripture is “train up a child when he is
young …”
2. It’s
all about
influence. Show
me a kid’s friends,
and I will accurately
tell you what kind
of kid you have (or
will soon have).
3. Parenting
teenagers is the simple
process of “stretching the cords of
dependence” so that one day soon,
they will be able to live independently.
4. Balance is everything.
Balance in discipline.
Balance in scheduling
activities.
Balance in studies.
5. The youth group at church is your best ally on
the planet. Not just “church”. Church can be
a very big and impersonal thing for some
students. It’s all about relationships that make
the difference.
6. Great parents find the “bent” of their
students and gently guide them to move
that way. Notice it is the “bent” of the
student, not the parent.
7. Winning parents are
consistently consistent!
8. “I am sorry”, “I was
wrong”, and “will you
forgive me” are often
heard from great parents
of teenagers.
9. At all costs …
avoid the trap of
comparison. That
tells you more about
your own needs and
shortcomings than it
does theirs!
10. Let your home be the “home base”
for your kids friends.
Don’t be the hover-craft. Let their friends
see a normal Christian life in action.
The Top 10 Ways
to Help
Your Students
Abandon Church!
THOU SHALT…
routinely schedule
personal or family events
that conflict with church
services or activities.
THoU SHALT…
hold back from developing healthy
Christian friendships in your own
life, lest your students learn the joy
and benefits of Christian friendships.
THoU SHALT…
look at criticism as your friend
and your ability to criticize as
“your right”.
THoU SHALT…
do your best to be on time for
soccer practices, piano lessons,
and school events, but show no
worry if you are late for church.
THoU SHALT…
bring your family to church when:
a). you have nothing better to do
b). you are going through a personal
crisis with your student
c). you feel really guilty about
something
THoU SHALT…
refuse to volunteer for any kind of
commitment to church. Stress the concern
about hurting “family time” as you think
about helping out at church.
THoU SHALT…
complain loud and long about
how much time, money, and
effort the Youth Ministry is
costing you.
THoU SHALT…
remind your students how
imperfect the church leaders are,
and regularly point out their
mistakes.
THoU SHALT…
encourage (force) your students to
find a job that requires them to work
on Sundays and Wednesdays.
THoU SHALT…
turn over entirely
the spiritual
growth and
training of your
student to the
Youth Pastor and
volunteer leaders.
5 Things I Can Do Right Now!
1. Sign Up!
2. Live It Up!
3. Shut Up!
4. Sit Up!
5. Speak Up!