Where do we get the idea that the teenage years are years of rebellion? Is rebellion then necessarily any worse than any other time in our lives? Can we really blame rebellion on hormones?
I had many "warnings" from family and acquaintances when my girls were small. "You just wait until they are teenagers", "Whoa, you're going to have three teen girls at once, look out", "Oh, you just wait you'll have to deal with all this ________(insert some kind of rebellion) too", "They all go through it, you just grit your teeth till its over".
Now, I know I have many teen years to go through yet with my girls, but I have seen none of this yet. My girls are 14, 12, and 10, and the only thing I have noticed with hormones is some weepiness that lasted about a year. (The 10 year old has not done this yet.) We have not seen any increase in sassiness, or disobedience.
I definitely had a problem when I was a teen, but I cannot say that it started then. I remember being angry a lot when I was a kid. Maybe I just got more bold about it at that age. I was also rebellious against my husband during the first several years of marriage. So is it the teens, or is the rebellion always there in us, and it just comes out physically usually during the teen years.
I'm just wondering if the difference isn't that my children know that sassiness and disobedience is just not tolerated? They are able to take the things that are bothering them to the Lord for help? Or maybe its from being homeschooled (read sheltered :) ) and without television?
A quick note about television..... When the youngest girl was 8 she started to be "mouthy" and would bob her head funny when she did it. I got the idea to ask about the tv; as they had been allowed to watch it on weekends at that time. Apparently a girl on tv (Raven) talked that way. Problem was easily solved when we took away the program.
Here's to praying that all of our teenagers are able to deal with their "feelings" by taking them to the Lord and their parents. God bless them all! I'll let you all know if rebellion becomes an issue in our family all of a sudden. Comment me and let me know what your thoughts on teens are.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Teenagers
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2 comments:
Though I don't have teens, I've gotten comments from usually total strangers about what to expect when they're older. As I've watched children's behavior since I was little, I've learned that it's the parents not training them and then expecting them to behave a certain way, and when that doesn't happen waiting until they grow out of it. My sister encourages me by saying, "If it's not behavior that you want, then it shouldn't ever be allowed."
Those who do not know how to train, do not take the time, or just believe what is propogated will continue to say to just wait until they're "in their 'terrible twos'", "teenagers", "out of the house". They think their poor efforts are the same as yours and have a hope that they are not the only ones.
I Cor. 15:33 "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."
I've also seen a HUGE difference in their attitudes when we go without the t.v. They obey and have good attitudes and play quite well with each other.
It's well worth the effort while they're little so that you have a wonderful relationship with your children when they are older!
Blessings to you and thank you for your example!
I don't agree that children begin disrespectful behavior in thier teens.
I think that they become more blatant with behaviors that have been allowed all along.
Television has a great influence on our children. It affects the way that they interact with others and towards thier parents.
Television families are passive in child rearing and a Christain family dynamic is totally absent from main stream television.
Children watch stuff on television and get the "grass is greener on the other side" syndrom. They begin to mimic the disrespectful and rebellious behaviors that they've seen.Is it natural for a child/teen to try and see how far the can go with thier teen liberties?...Yes.
Are all teens rebellious and out of control...No.
You have some parents that allow it and you have some that won't.
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