Youth Lock In Feb 3 2012

Youth Lock In Feb 3 2012
Wuz up!

Service Times

Sunday Mornings:
9am youth meet in Mattox Hall then go together to main sanctuary

10:30-11am Pre-Service Connection time

11am Main Youth Service


Wednesday Nights 6:30pm in Tama Hall Youth Room
(open at 5pm for hang out)

About Us

In our small groups we are experiencing intimate times of fellowship, while discussing relevant topics for today’s contemporary teens. Our time together is not only impacting our small group but our teens and pre-teens are reaching the community, especially their peers within their sphere of influence. (We break into small groups by gender and grades.) We recently started teaching on the same message that's in our adult services, it has been awesome! If you are in this age group SPREAD THE WORD! This group of teen-agers and pre-teens is in full pursuit of the plans and purposes of God and we want everyone to experience life more abundantly while living in the grace and mercy our Great Creator, our heavenly Father, Almighty God, designed us to live and function in. See you there! SEARCH THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS BLOG TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WEEKS TO COME FOR WEDNESDAYS AND SUNDAYS IN OUR STUDENT MINISTRY!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

PARENT CUE for the EVOLVE mentoring series this FEBRUARY-Come to Parent Night Feb 29th- read more on the right side of this blog


1. Be a Student of What They are Learning
When we were growing up, our family was everything to us. They were the safe place to run to. They were the calm in the storm. They were the people whose opinions we trusted most and whose advice we took to heart. But over the years, especially the teen years, the voices of our mom and dad become more like nails on a chalkboard than the sweet sound of comfort. So what happened? Our relationship evolved. And while that isn’t necessarily the most comfortable thing in the world for a teenager to go through, it also isn’t the worst thing either. So what do we do as our students become less and less willing to listen to the wisdom their families give? How do we handle the everyday conflicts that come up between students and their families? These are important questions worth finding answers to. Because, let’s face it, the relationship is changing. But as difficult as this may be to handle right now, that change can be for the good of everyone.
2. Be a Student of Your Student
One of the toughest aspects of the teenage years is the growing feeling our students have that the conflicts within their families are actually their own fault. And maybe as a parent, you hear that and agree that most of the developing conflict is the fault of your teenager. You may find yourself thinking if you could just fix them, things would be better. There is no doubt our teenagers have some attitude adjustments that need to be made and some issues that need to be dealt with. That comes with the parenting territory at any age. And while we are taking a look at how we can help them through their teen years, it’s also a good time to take a look at our own actions and reactions within our family to figure out how we can actually escalate or diffuse the tensions that arise.

As we experience anxiety in our own marital relationships, work relationships, friendships and even our own view of ourselves, it’s important to remember not to project these anxieties onto our children.
Because your teenager it not your best friend.
Your teenager is not a licensed counselor.
Your teenager is not responsible for the tension between you and your boss or you and your spouse or you and your other children.

As Rhett Smith (MDiv, LMFT-A), a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, and part-time pastor to youth and families at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas explains in his article entitled Managing Anxiety in the Family: Strategies for Changing our Relationship Dance (fulleryouthinstitute.org), “If we really want to have healthy families, often we need to begin with the adults in the family taking responsibility for themselves. Rather than point the finger at our kids because they might be convenient scapegoats for our anxiety and conflict, real transformation lies within a family’s ability to do the hard work that relationships require.”

While this is solid advice, it can be really difficult to do! In the book Parenting Beyond Your Capacity, Reggie Joiner points out that one of the best tools to help you walk the journey with your teenager is to “Widen the Circle.” In other words, it’s important to invite other healthy adults into the life of your family; adults who are committed to your children and your family for no other reason than that they care. And this is also a great way to begin to develop processes for taking a look at how our family functions and how we can develop the most healthy family possible.

With this in mind, your student will be invited to participate in an XP, or experience, that encourages them to choose some wise people to help guide them through middle and senior high school. And, we have also encouraged them to include you in the process. Look forward to some more information from your student’s small group leader after week 2 of this series.

Our teenagers are dealing with so many pressures and competing voices. Our best bet is to set them up for success by being their champion and a safe place for them to unload their woes and worries. While this may not be an easy thing to do, it is important for us as parents to start with ourselves and look at how we play into the tension within our family relationships. We are the best place to start when addressing the health of our families.

3. Action Point
While it may seem like there are very few things we can agree with our students on while in the middle of these tumultuous teenage years, we probably all have a similar goal in mind for our families. We want to be functional. We want to be healthy. We want to do everything we can to set ourselves up for success. And this may require some hard work—on everyone’s part. But, as parents we should be leading the way here.

So, as you get a glimpse into how your family is changing and evolving, sit down and ask yourself the following questions, taking the time to be introspective and answering honestly—as difficult as that might be.  Then sit down with your teenager and ask them the specified questions that follow.

Parent Questions:
  1. How can you learn not to be reactive but to take a step back and get some perspective on the tension and issues within your family?
  2. What can you do to help your children see a patient and in-control parent in the midst of conflict?
  3. How would you feel about letting someone else into your family dynamics in order to bring the most health to your family relationships?
  4. Who would you consider to be trustworthy to confide in about your family and the potential issues and struggles you face?
  5. Are you opposed to seeking outside counsel from a pastor or Christian counselor? Why or why not?

Student Questions
  1. Think about some families that you know and enjoy spending time around. What makes them comfortable and fun to spend time with? Try to share a particular experience that you’ve had with this family.
  2. What are some things you have seen or experienced this family do that you admire?
  3. What are some things that you would enjoy doing together with your own family?
  4. What are some characteristics of you’re your family that you really like? Why?
  5. How do you feel about the interactions you have with each of the people in your own family? Is there one person you have an easier time relating to compared to the others? Is there one person you have a harder time relating to compared to the others? Why do you think this is?
  6. What is one way that you would like to see your family change and grow?
  7. What can you begin doing this week to make that change happen?

After answering the previous questions, ask your teen to help you make a list of 5 family goals for the following year (i.e. have a family meal together once a week to connect and re-assess the above questions, commit to spending one radio/cell phone­­-free drive to or from school per week to just talk, research and set up a family counseling session, etc.).


To Read Rhett Smith’s entire article, go to http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/2011/06/managing-anxiety-in-the-family/


Get connected to a wider community of parents at www.orangeparents.org.

hvarvell@wordalive.org

No comments:

Youth Lock In Fun (Feb 3, 2012 7pm-7am)

Oh What A Night! We had so much fun Friday night! Great turn out and great kids! When's the next one? Well, when I catch up on some sleep, I'll let you know :)