What Comes First For You? (5-19-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Who’s more important to you, your kids or your spouse?

If you’re a parent and your marriage is not the most important part of your life, it could be hurting your ability to be a good father or mother as well.

The consequences of being child-focused instead of being spouse-focused include: offering a poor role model to your children for what marriage is all about, giving your children an undue sense of entitlement, and creating kids who are reluctant to take responsibility. That sounds like a lot of kids today, doesn’t it?

Mom and dad, focus on your marriage above all else, including your parenting. Your marriage is the best teacher and legacy you can leave your children.

Team Players (5-18-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Team sports are not the only way to teach a child teamwork and discipline.

Athletics can be a good physical outlet for a teenager, but outside of the very small percentage of kids who go on to make it a career, the benefits of organized sports can be short-lived. Parents shouldn’t allow it to replace other “team” activities that may do more to prepare their teenager for adulthood. This includes having meaningful responsibilities at home, working in a part-time job, volunteering, and spending quality time with the family.

Being a team player in all walks of life, including at work and at home, is often more important for their maturity than focusing all of their time on a sports team.

Psychological Crazes (5-17-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Not all teenage misbehavior has a psychological cause, as some experts may lead you to believe.

Every form of misbehavior today seems to have a psychological term and related medication to solve it. Those who coin these terms and patent the medical “cures” can paralyze a parent’s ability to discipline their teen, because that would be insensitive to the child’s so-called “illness.” The fact is, children do not need a sickness to misbehave. It comes naturally and wise parenting can correct it.

But some struggles are ignited by childhood trauma, loss, or abandonment in the child’s life. When it comes to the surface in the teen years, loving counseling may be the best cure.

WEEKEND: Rule-Making and Ruling (5-15-2010)

HALF-HOUR PODCAST SUMMARY:

You can either rule your home or allow the rules to govern your home. On this weekend edition of Parenting Today’s Teens, Mark Gregston describes the difference and which parenting style is better for teens.

The Adopted Family (5-14-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Adoptive parents can take steps to help their adopted child work through identity issues during the teen years.

Adopted children often have to work through grief, anger and feelings of abandonment, especially if they were adopted later in life. But adoptive parents will soothe these difficulties by openly discussing the child’s birth and their family history.

Make the adopted child an equal part of your family, while at the same time, valuing their unique origins. And avoid spoiling the child with too many material things or added freedoms.

The bottom line is this…the more normally you treat your adopted child, the more normal they’ll feel and they’ll have fewer issues with identity.

Dating…Why Wait? (5-13-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Josh McDowell, who came to give a talk to our teenagers at Heartlight some time ago, revealed some startling statistics about teens and dating in his “Why Wait?” research.

Josh’s research revealed that when it comes to dating, maturity does make a difference. In a shocking comparison, a child who begins dating at age 12 is at least four times more likely to become sexually active before graduation than a teenager who begins dating at age 16. Even a year makes a difference…a 15 year old is twice as likely to have sex before graduation as waiting until age 16 to begin dating.

Whatever your views on dating, be sure to know that waiting a few years is likely a smart choice.

In this new e-book, Mark provides helpful steps for parents to create rules in the home that make sense to everyone involved, including your teenagers. Get control of your home with Mark’s timeless tips. Pass it on to a friend! (Format: WORD or PDF).

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Steps to Restoration (5-12-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Without a strong relationship with their teenager, parents applying consequences to correct misbehavior can find their relationship crumbling even further.

Begin to restore a broken relationship with your teen by first asking God for guidance. Then find a place where you two can talk one-on-one without interruption.

Start out by identifying with your teenager’s pain, and ask forgiveness for any part you may have played in the broken relationship. Keep personal attacks out of it and avoid accusations or piling on. Don’t aim to resolve misbehavior, nor lessen the consequences. Just use the time to express how much you value and love them, and be sure to establish a weekly time to reconnect to maintain the relationship.

Attractive Life or Not? (5-11-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

The greatest teaching tool for a parent is to make their life more attractive than their teen’s.

I’ve never met a troubled teen who wants to be just like his parents. Usually the opposite is true – he’s looked at his parents’ life and doesn’t want anything to do with it. Therefore, he also don’t want anything to do with his parent’s advice, beliefs, or values.

The best training a parent can give a teenager is to quietly live a life worth emulating…in your actions, in your relationships, in what you hold dear, and in your general happiness.

Live an unhappy, boring, disappointing, and meaningless life – and don’t be surprised if your teen chooses something far different.

In this new e-book, Mark provides helpful steps for parents to create rules in the home that make sense to everyone involved, including your teenagers. Get control of your home with Mark’s timeless tips. Pass it on to a friend! (Format: WORD or PDF).

DOWNLOAD >>

True Greatness (5-10-2010)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Parents want their children to be successful, but financial success isn’t a guarantee of life success.

My friend Tim Kimmel describes “truly great kids” as those who have an unquenchable love and concern for others. He says, “We can sabotage our children’s future when we encourage them to make financial success their goal, rather than living a truly great life.”

So, how can greatness be taught? By demonstrating a reverence for God and respect for others. By an appreciation for what we’ve been given and Who has given it. By delighting in sharing with others. And by taking action to help others.

True success is more about giving, serving and caring than it is about taking, profiting and conquering.

In this new e-book, Mark provides helpful steps for parents to create rules in the home that make sense to everyone involved, including your teenagers. Get control of your home with Mark’s timeless tips.  Pass it on to a friend! (Format: WORD or PDF). 

COMPLIMENTARY DOWNLOAD >>

WEEKEND: Second Chances (5-8-2010)

HALF-HOUR PODCAST SUMMARY:

Mark Gregston coaches parents on giving second, third and fourth chances. Moms and dads learn to value their teens, not enable them.

SPECIAL GUEST: Dr. Tim Kimmel