Preparing for the Storms

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana and within an hour, water was breaking through the city’s levees. Before the storm, some of us were unaware that New Orleans was considered a “soup bowl of a city” with most of it well below sea level. Now we heard that “everyone knew” it could be filled with 20 feet of water! The public was dismayed that so many city residents did not have their own transportation in the mandatory evacuation. Who could have thought that such a devastated disaster would happen in the United States? Some people did. They just chose to assume that bad thing would never happen. How to get ready for unexpected storms and crises in life?

Parents of teenagers often could not believe their compliant and well-behaved kids would have become such rude and unreasonable creatures. It is important to be educated about human development and be able to differentiate “normal” teenage behaviors from indications that your teens are at risk with real troubles. Keep your cool and never threaten to kick them out of the house for you might regret such edict later. Just remember that your teenager is probably struggling with conflicting emotions and the need of independence when searching for personal identity.

Before their teen years, train your kids with abundant love and age appropriate limit settings. Help them to think and feel and become responsible people one step at a time by gradually granting them freedom that maches their age, responsibility and accountability. Seek help early.

Copyright © 2005 Parenting ABC