There’s A Teenager In My House!

Those of us in youth ministry know that the impact we make on the lives of the young people within our circle of influence is puny compared to the impact that their Mom and Dad have on them. That’s why I’m always keeping my eyes open for great resources that I can pass on to parents of teens. I found one in Wayne Rice’s book There’s a Teenager in My House (IVP, 2005). In the book, Wayne gathers a team of experienced youth workers, all of them either parents of teenagers or former parents of teenagers, to help him give answers to 101 popular questions asked by parents of teens. Here are a few of the questions…

· We really don’t know how to motivate (our boys) or punish them for their refusal to do chores. We don’t want to let them off the hook, but we really don’t want chores to become a source of serious conflict between us. Any suggestions?

· I have a good relationship with our son right now, but as he gets older, I fear that might change. How can I keep a good relationship with him throughout his teenage years?

· At what age should I begin talking to my children about sex? I don’t want to put ideas in their heads.

· My thirteen year old daughter hangs around with a negative group of kids her age. A couple of boys do drugs. Her girlfriends get into trouble in school. How can I help her avoid these types of friends?

· Our teenager absolutely refuses to go to church. Is this a battle worth fighting with him? What should we do?

The questions are grouped in 14 sections. Among the sections are family and home life, emotions, dating and sexuality, behavior and discipline, technology, school, values and faith, and nontraditional families.

It’s an easy read. One that you can pick up, find your area of interest, turn to it, and quickly receive some helpful wisdom and coaching, or at least the understanding that you’re not in it alone. If you’re interested in checking it out, you can find this book on Amazon, or at Barnes and Noble.