Parenting is a Calling (6-30-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Parents are placed into an authority role in the life of their children, and should consider that role as a calling from God.

It’s tough to remain in a relationship with a teenager who steers away from your values and acts like they hate you. But hang in there!  Today’s culture is tugging hard on your teen, so let them know you love them, regardless, and clearly lay out the boundaries so they know where you’ve drawn the line.

Most kids want their parents to maintain parental authority, so don’t disappoint them by giving up, or giving in. And above all else, do all you can to strengthen your relationship with them, no matter how they act.

Always Does (6-29-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

When I’m talking to the parents of a struggling teen, I sometimes tell them a story from the life of Abraham Lincoln.

The story goes that as President Lincoln was leaving a church service it was pouring rain and had been for some time.  One of his friends asked, “Do you think it will ever quit?”  Lincoln responded, “Always does.” That simple two-word response applies to teen problems as well…they always do go away, eventually.

No matter how difficult the struggles, hang in there with your teen.  Don’t let the problems you face today damage your relationship, since they’ll likely get through their period of struggle in a short time, and will need you on the other side.

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Is your teenager spinning out of control? Still time to register for our next Family in Crisis Retreat, July 14-16.  Learn more here:  www.familycrisisretreat.com.

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Download Mark’s latest free
e-book, Road to Restoration,
20 Ways to Bring Healing to Your Family.

Download >>

Peace Generation (6-28-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

I grew up as part of the “Peace Generation.”  Ironically, my generation’s desire for peace at any cost has led to wars in the home.

We became a generation of parents who avoid conflict. But conflict is an important part of growing up. It airs grievances and gives parents an opportunity to speak truth into the life of their teenager.  Most of all, it teaches kids how to argue without being disrespectful.

I believe that a lot of problems today are because parents refuse to engage in conflict with their teens.  So everything gets bottled up until it explodes.  They’d be wise to understand that peace comes through the resolution of smaller conflicts, before they get big enough to turn into an all out war.

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Is your teenager spinning out of control? Still time to register for our next Family in Crisis Retreat, July 14-16.  Learn more here:  www.familycrisisretreat.com.

———————————————–

Download Mark’s latest free
e-book, Road to Restoration,
20 Ways to Bring Healing to Your Family.

Download >>

Transferring Control (6-27-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Is your teen too immature to manage their own life? Then maybe you haven’t given them enough lessons in maturity.

I’ve had parents tell me, “My teen is too immature and irresponsible to get a job, drive a car, or handle their own finances.”  But I tell them, if you wait until your child is mature and responsible before giving them responsibility, they’ll never mature. You’ve got to start somewhere, and usually before it is comfortable to you.

Teens need control over decisions in their own life, little by little, not so much because they deserve it or warrant it, but because they need it.  And they need it sooner than you think!  Responsibility is the breeding ground of maturity.

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Is your teenager spinning out of control? Still time to register for our next Family in Crisis Retreat, July 14-16.  Learn more here:  www.familycrisisretreat.com.

———————————————–

Download Mark’s latest free
e-book, Road to Restoration,
20 Ways to Bring Healing to Your Family.

Download >>

WEEKEND: Hope in the Conflict (6-25-2011)

HALF-HOUR PODCAST SUMMARY:

It’s difficult for parents to watch their teen become a source of unrest and conflict in the home.  And in the face of broken dreams and heartache, moms and dads need to be assured there’s hope.  On this edition of Parenting Today’s Teens, Mark Gregston offers comfort for struggling parents, reminding them, there’s hope among the conflict!

Pick Your Battles (6-24-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

There are a lot of ways that teens can upset their parents, so parents would be wise to pick their battles wisely.

Is the battle you fight every day with your teenager worth it?  Does it affect their future or hurt their moral values? If not, give it up. In the teen years it’s more important to focus on character issues than things like fashion or keeping their room clean.

Being consistent in regard to character issues is a bit easier for your teenager to take when you can be a little more bending when it comes to less important issues.

Sometimes letting go of some of the lesser battles is just what it takes to win the war.

Get Your House in Order (6-23-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

An important first step to getting things in order when your family is spinning out of control is to visualize what you want your family to be like.

When a teen brings chaos to the home, it can bring urgency to establishing a plan for how your home will operate – something I call the household Belief System.  Start by asking yourself, “What would I like to see changed in my home, How should things be?” Then lay out the groundwork, like each of the rules, boundaries and consequences your house will operate by.

Get together with everyone to announce the new plan, then be sure you follow through, every time.  Nothing kills a plan faster than being inconsistent.

Mobile Media (6-22-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

When I was a kid, “Don’t touch that dial!” was my parents’ way of controlling what I did or didn’t see.

It used to be that controlling the influence of media in the home was pretty simple.  With just 3 or 4 local TV stations, it wasn’t hard for parents to keep kids from what’s inappropriate.

But today with the rise of mobile media, the world is at your teen’s fingertips. They can download music, movies, homemade videos and TV shows, and they can visit over 3 billion websites from just about anywhere.  That’s why it is more important today to teach them discernment.  It’s the only tool teens will have to make wise choices in a digital world.

Misleading Messages (6-21-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

Did you know that most teenagers today see up to sixty five hundred marketing messages daily?

When thinking of the impact of media on our children, movies and music usually come to mind.  But an even more pervasive influence today is the constant stream of advertising that they see, much of it suggestive of an alternate or ungodly lifestyle. While they aren’t likely to buy most of the products they see advertised, they do buy into the lifestyle that is being portrayed.

Most advertisers use shock value as a means of catching attention, so be sure your teens understand that they are being duped for the sake of commercialism by a false portrayal of a fulfilling life.

Parenting Unplugged (6-20-2011)

PODCAST SCRIPT:

We can complain about how much time our kids spend online, texting, playing video games and other digital media—but we adults aren’t much better.

Kids tend to mimic the behavior of their parents.  So, set a good example by turning off your own cell phone, computer and television one evening a week.  Get out the board games and ban all digital devices.  Use it as a time to ask questions and get to know what’s going on in their lives.

Your kids will complain and think you’ve lost your mind, but after a few weeks they’ll begin looking forward to it.  And you’ll have set up a tradition they’ll likely pass on to their own families.