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agers' lives today are the direct
result of their parents not follow–
ing
their
parental advice.
They
didn't learn from the
experiences, and yes, mis–
takes, of previous genera–
tions.
You , as a parent, need
to be integrally involved
in every facet of your
teen's education- moral,
spiritual, emotional and
intellectuaJ.
lt is interesting to note
the Hebrew word for
train
in P roverbs 22:6
("Train
up a child in the
way he should go"). The
root meaning of
chanak,
from which
train
is trans–
lated, is "to nar row."
Trai ning our children
involves narrowing the
choices they have to
make, instead of accept–
ing the vast array of
deceptive, negative life–
styles this world offers
~
(Matt.7:13-14).
~
Your example is para-
!
mount in educating your
teenagers. Teenagers will follow
parents' examples more than par–
ents' words. Do you keep your
word? Do you say nice things to
other people's faces and then speak
critically of them in prívate?
Setting the right example for
teenagers includes showing affec–
tion, displaying good work habits,
taking care of your health and per–
sonal appearance and providing
properly for your family's needs.
A major responsibility you have
in educating your teenagers is
instilling within them a knowledge
of and respect for God's laws and
way of life. Notice the last half of
Ephesians
6:4:
"Bring them [your
children] up in the training and
admonition of the Lord."
The average parent today is
totally unaware of the basic princi–
pies by which to help teenagers.
Yet God's revealed Word is plain
about the way children should be
taught to go: "You shall teach
them [God's commandments] dili–
gently to your children, and shall
talk of them when you sit in your
house, when you watk by the way,
when you líe down, and when you
rise up" (Deut. 6:7).
20
Sometimes parents know their
teenagers are not doing what is
right, but are afraid to tell them.
Why should parents be afraid of
their own children? Why not call
your teenager aside and have a
good, serious talk with him? You
may simply have to lay it on the
line. Tell him just where he is
headed if he will not obey. Tell him
again who is the head of the house.
Let him know what his obligations
are. Make him understand!
Thoroughly explain again God's
Fifth Commandment: "Honor your
father and your mother, that your
days may be long upon the land
which the Lord your God is giving
you" (Ex. 20:12).
Again, in Proverbs 20:20, God
gives the same principie: "Whoever
curses bis father or his mother, his
lamp will be put out in deep dark–
ness."
Teach your teen responsibility
and emotiona.l balance. As Lamen–
tations
3:27
says,
"lt
is good for a
man to bear the yoke in his youth."
Or, as one father told his son when
he claimed he didn't know how to
do a cer tain job, "You'll never
learn any younger!" This applies
lt
can be fun
exploring
various musical
styles–
different from
ones your
teen, or you, may
be locked into.
not only to physical
chores, but to developing
important character
traits also.
The book of Proverbs contains
much sound advice on achieving
true success and building happy
human relationships. Read through
the Proverbs-and encourage your
teenagers to do so--or, better yet,
read through them together in a
different translation this time. The
Proverbs apply to everyday situa–
tions and are easy to understand,
especially if you read in a modern
translation. You may be surprised
at the wisdom you find in them.
Learning from instruction, such
as that found in the Bible, and from
the experiences of elders, is far bet–
ter than being educated in tbe
school of hard knocks. As a parent
you can no doubt vouch for that.
At this time in life, your teen–
ager will be interested in severaJ
special areas that you sbould be
aware of in terms of bis or ber edu–
cation. These areas include music,
sex and marriage preparation,
career education and different
forms of recreation.
M
u
sic
You 've probably seen, in comic
strips or on television, humorous
The PLAIN TRUTH