What's the Point?

Our Rebellious Teens)

Point - I did it better than my parents.

Point - You did it better than your parents.

Point - Teens do not care about points. It makes no difference if you are the perfect parent. Adults get no recognition for whatever part they did right. In fact, because the teen feels controlled, they do not see that anyone else did anything right.

They want to stop being treated like a child (even if they are acting like one). They want the freedom to make their own mistakes and they don't care that adults think they are mistakes. They want their choices to be respected, because it is their choice, as one would respect choices of other adults; without trying to fix them. After all, they are almost 18 and are sick of being treated like anything less.

Point - In as much as we would like to help our 'almost adults' make adulthood choices, amidst their period of regression (where they are behaving more like a 12 year old), the power to control their destiny is not ours. There comes a point wherein the only option left is to let go and let God finish raising them. And in making the transition from parent to friend, we discover our own need for growth; thereby realizing God is not finished raising us, either.

Point - Once we acknowledge that our need to control is a result of fear for our children's future, consider that fear does not come from God, remember that we were once 'almost adults', too, and realize that God used our immaturity to grow us into a better person ... perhaps, then, we can trust God to protect them from irreversible harm and know He will be there to pick up the pieces for our children, too.

© 2004 by Joyce C. Lock
http://my.homewithgod.com/blessingsandlessons/
This writing may be used in its entirety, with credits in tact,
for non-profit ministering purposes.