There seems to be so little good news when you combine the terms “parenting” and “teenagers”. Even a cursory search of the web for articles on parents who are doing it well nets you something like this at Buzzfeed (while funny, not terribly beneficial…). So amidst all the gloom, doom, and hand-wringing, I will be the one of the few to tell you its going to be ok. Here are some things parents are doing right…
10) The Teen Pregnancy rate is lower than it was in the ’50s. (Source). There are a lot of reasons for this, but parenting is a large force behind this, no matter how you spin it.
9) Parents are taking part in their child’s interest in sports. StatisticBrain has a lot of very interesting info on Youth Sports. I also know that as a Youth Pastor, youth sports can get criticism, disdain, and other nasty views in ministry circles. But this stat could alone be a huge missional springboard for the church in the future, if we can properly infuse it with living out the Gospel in our lives… “Percent of coaches who are dads coaching their own kids – 85%”
So, If we as believers, impact the Dad and the child with the Gospel, that provides a very natural connection to the entire family. Here is your mission field, should you choose to accept it…
8) At least in Colorado, teens are driving somewhat safer. (Source) From 2004 to 2011, Teen driving fatalities dropped almost 70%. This is good news. This is a place parents can have enormous influence.
7) Teens are getting a pretty decent example from parents/adults about texting while driving. (Source)
6) There is some great research out about Parents/Adults sharing with teens about the dangers of underage alcohol consumption (Source). It’s also really great that underage alcohol consumption has dropped 16% from 2002-2012.
This is a Ministry blog, so don’t fret, the next five are going to deal more with Education and Spirituality. We’ll dive into that in Part 2.
What are some things you see in your ministry/church that parents of teens are doing well? Share in the comments below!
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