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2022
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87
pages
English
Ebooks
2022
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Obtenez un accès à la bibliothèque pour le consulter en ligne En savoir plus
Publié par
Date de parution
13 septembre 2022
Nombre de lectures
0
EAN13
9781684810239
Langue
English
When I mentioned to people that I was writing a sequel to Wonderful Ways to Love a Child called Wonderful Ways to Love a Teen, they rolled their eyes and said, “We sure can use that book!” or they would laugh, shake their heads in disbelief, and ask, “Is it possible?”
Then I would ask them, “Do you love your teenager?” And without exception these very same people would answer, “Yes, of course!” And as they complained about their son or daughter, I’d see a sparkle in their eye and an undefined grace softening their face. As a cab driver in Dallas, the father of two teenage girls, said, “They are the spring in my step.”
In my years of counseling and teaching, I’ve talked with thousands of parents who love their teenagers but aren’t sure how to show it. They want to have a positive relationship but they’re uncertain of their role, and they wonder if their teenager still needs them. And because they don’t know what to do, misunderstandings pile up, hurt and anger accumulate, and the distance between parent and child grows.
The idea that teenagers are impossible to talk to, live with, and relate to has become so commonplace that we adults start to believe and act as if it’s so. The myth of the difficult teenage years is perpetuated over and over until everyone believes that all teenagers are difficult all the time. It just isn’t so.
The teenage years run smoothly and joyously for some parents, whereas others find them impossible. Some parents savor every minute with their teenagers, knowing they’ll soon be gone. Others find it so arduous to relate that they throw in the towel and withdraw—counting the days until their teenager moves out. Some parents find the relationship with their teenager so fulfilling—not only because they’re learning the art of finesse and tact, but because the house is so lively—that there’s excitement in the air. Still others resort to threats, punishment, and authoritarian rule to avoid relating.
Often, it seems that our teenagers do not want our love. The truth is that they do, but in a new way. However difficult it may feel sometimes, I am convinced that it is always better to strive for a conscious relationship with your teen—even during those times when you wonder if you’re being stretched beyond your capabilities. That’s because I truly believe—based on my own experience and my work with hundreds of parents—that if relating to your teenager is impossible, it’s because you don’t have the tools. Once you gain the tools, a relationship with a teenager is no more difficult than any other relationship. For the truth is that the teenage stage of life is no more difficult than any other stage of life; it just takes new skills.
Wonderful Ways to Love a Teen is a handbook of tools to guide you in the art of relating to your teenager. Even when your parent/teen relationship appears hopelessly beyond repair, you can follow its suggestions to help you rebuild a loving bond.
The Art of Relating
Serenity
Expect the Unexpected
Laugh About Inconsistencies
Choose Power Struggles Wisely
Take Time to Unwind
Give Them Reasons to Be Proud of You
Remember Your Own Feelings as a Teenager
See Beyond the Obvious
Be Still and Smile
Willingly Make Up
Respond with an Open Heart
Accept Changes Graciously
Add a Splash of Pizzazz to Your Own Life
Accentuate What Is Truly Meaningful
By Your Own Example, Teach Them to Pray
Treasure Being Together as a Family
Do the Best You Can
Ask for Input About the Toughies
Encourage Role Models
Become a Mentor
Expand Your Vision for Our Children
Resource Guide
Publié par
Date de parution
13 septembre 2022
Nombre de lectures
0
EAN13
9781684810239
Langue
English