WORK AND PLAY

In earlier times children were usually expected to help out in the home or on the farm.  Today many teenagers have a lot of unsupervised spare time. To fill that time, the commercial world provides a superabundance of material to fill leisure time. Add to this the fact that the world puts very little value on Bible standards of morality, and you have a formula for potential disaster.

Hence, the judicious parent maintains the right to make final decisions about recreation.  Do not forget, though, that the teenager is growing up.  Each year, he or she will likely  hope to be treated more like an adult. Thus, it is wise for a parent  to allow more latitude in the choice of recreation as the teenager gets older-as long as those choices reflect progress toward spiritual maturity. At times, the teenager may make unwise choices in music, associates, and so on.  When this happens, it should be discussed with the teenager so that better choices will be made in the future.

How much time should be allotted for recreation?  In some lands teenagers are led to believe that they are entitled to continual entertainment. Hence, an adolescent may plan his schedule so that he goes from one "good time" to the next.  It is up to the parents to convey the lesson that time  should also be spent on other things, such as the family, personal study, association with spiritually mature persons, Christian meetings and household chores. This will keep the "pleasures of this life" from choking out God's Word. -Luke 8:11-15.

King Solomon said:  "I have come to know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during one's life; and also that every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work.  (but God also does not want you to over indulge in anything)  It is the gift of God."  (Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13)  Yes, rejoicing is part of a balanced life.  But so is hard work.  Many teenagers today do not learn the satisfaction that comes from hard work or the feeling of self-respect  that comes from tackling a problem and solving it.  Some are not given the opportunity to develop a skill or trade with which to support themselves in later life.  Here is a real challenge for the parent.  Will you make sure that your young one has such opportunities?  If you can succeed in teaching your teenager to value and even enjoy hard work, he or she will develop a healthy outlook that will bring a lifetime of benefits. 

note: Some teenagers want the money but do not want to work for it. I saw a young man one day working for the city-he was suppose to pick up the trash, but he wasn't doing any of it. Oh, he picked it up and threw it back down again. This boy needed supervision to make sure that he did his job, but there weren't any.    And now days there are not enough jobs for people who have families and actually want and need to work, but can't find a job.  They should not be wasted on teenagers who don't want to work to earn the money. I worked a job as a teenager in a restaurant on the weekends 16 hours a day for two days until school, I also did chores and cleaned house and ironed clothes and did not complain.Even when I was in grade school, I did chores and  I am glad my mother had me do it. It taught me responsibility and respect for her and  the value of money and respect for myself.  A lot of teenagers have too much time on their hands and are more apt to get in trouble.   This stems from families who are too busy for their kids and women who are too busy with a career. A job I can see if it is necessary to pay rent/mortgage, at least that brings them home, but a career where they spend all their time is not healthy for the kids, any kids or family life. 

Next time: FROM TEENAGER TO ADULT

From the book: THE SECRET OF FAMILY HAPPINESS, 1996