5 Assumptions About Teenagers
Teenagers are easy targets to complain about…they cost a lot of money, eat way too much food, do weird and sometimes awkward things, spend a ton of time on their phones or gaming systems, and often cause drama with the whole going-through-puberty thing. In fact, we all make assumptions when it comes to teens. Here are five assumptions we know to be true.
Peace on Earth
I have been listening to Christmas music. It’s one of my favorite things about this season. Many of my favorite songs sing about peace. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, Do You Hear What I Hear, The Little Drummer Boy, I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. The...
Seeking Connection
We are made to be connected, yet so many of us feel disconnected. Not just alone in a crowd, but lonely in a crowd. Too many people lack the connectedness of authentic relationships.
13 Reasons Why: Making Noise or Making Change?
So many people want their ideas, problems, concerns, and injustices heard. That is not a bad thing at all, but there is a difference between making change and just making noise! Here are a few ways that we can encourage teenagers (and ourselves) to make more than just noise.
3 Ways to Help Prevent Suicide
useRecently, I learned of a death by suicide by a prominent pastor - on the eve of National Suicide Awareness Day of all days. It was especially tragic because he was quite vocal about the topic from his writings and the pulpit, even going so far as to establish a...
Good Enough
Too often we want our children and the students we work with to be the best. To reach the stars. To be the top. But sometimes, in reaching for the stars, we miss the small victories.
![Back to Baby Basics [Repost]](https://www.teenlife.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/BLOG-FEATURED-IMAGE-75.png)
Back to Baby Basics [Repost]
When are babies are small, we expect them to act like babies. Duh, right? You wouldn’t expect my baby to walk, talk, or feed herself. If she cries, I am not surprised. When she has a blowout diaper, I don’t get upset with her. I am enjoying every moment of this baby stage – the good, bad, and the stinky. We need to apply the same principle with teenagers.
Traveling New Roads Together
If the kids are constantly misbehaving, does the fault completely lay on their shoulders? Or is it a power play for the adult to dish out the discipline without also taking some of the blame?
5 Ways to Connect with a Teen
In my Teen Life Support Group last semester, I had a student who seemingly did not want to be there. She refused to talk. She crossed her arms. She kept her head down. After the first week, we talked to her and said that she didn’t have to talk but needed to participate as a member of the group. She reluctantly did the activities, but still never spoke a word. A few weeks later, another student asked about my family. I explained that my parents live in Alabama, and I don’t see them very often because of the distance. Immediately, my standoffish student spoke. “Wait, you’re from Alabama? Me too.” In that moment, we had created a connection. Connection. It sounds so easy, right? But how often do we strive to achieve it and come up short?
Confronting the Momo Problem
The “Momo Challenge”. Did you hear about it? Did it cause panic among your circles? Did you see emails, Facebook posts, and texts warning you about this terrifying internet presence? Momo is scary, terrifying, horrible, dark, and twisted. But it is also fake – a hoax. Even though this particular character was fake, it brings up a great question – how do we confront internet and social media issues with our children? Before I go further, let me give some context for those who haven’t heard of Momo. According to this CNN article, “The [Momo] challenge is the latest viral concern/social media fad/urban legend going around Facebook parenting groups and schools. It’s described as a “suicide game” which combines shock imagery and hidden messaging, and it supposedly encourages kids to attempt dangerous stunts, including suicide.”
