Help Your Teenager to Thrive

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 make 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, and adolescent may plan his schedule so that he goes from one "good time" to the next.  It is up to the parents to convey that 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. 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. 

Next time: Help Your Teenager to Thrive/FROM TEENAGER TO ADULT

From the book: The Secret of FAMILY HAPPINESS