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School's Out For The Summer!
School’s out for SUMMER! For parents that could mean only one thing…“Whew we made through the entire school year!” For teenagers however summer brings one factor of shear certainty…TEMPTATION. With the daily pressures of school work behind them, most people would consider the summer to be a time of relaxation and freedom for teenagers, but the reality is that a whole new world of pressures can emerge during this time. WHY? Typically because summer months are filled with a lack of structure for most teens. Statistics show that during the months of June, July, and August there is an increase in the number of teenagers who engage in risky behavior. But this doesn’t have to be the case with your child.
Many teachers report having a difficult time with teenagers when they return for classes in the fall. Reason being that many of them have just come off of a long, lazy summer vacation. This effectually changes their attitude about education and ultimately their goal for coming back to school is not for educational gain, but rather to hang out with and see their friends. To prevent this from happening, teenagers should have the same components during the summer months that they have throughout the school year: structure, responsibilities, and supervision. Without these vital elements, they are more inclined to get involved in precarious acts and subject to experience challenges when returning to school.
Here are some suggestions to keep your teen focused and safe during the summer:
Keep your teen busy. Create a daily schedule with them and post it in plain view for all to see. Volunteering at a non-profit agency and attending camp are great ways to build interpersonal skills and an appreciation for commitment. This helps develop a sense of structure. 1Corinthians 14:40 says, “Let all things be done decently and in order.”
Allow your teen to earn money. Rather than just giving them money, afford them the opportunity to work for their pay. Chores around the house are fine, but consider your teen working during the summer months. This increases their own feeling of worth and builds their faithfulness to excellent stewardship. It also gives them an understanding of responsibility. 1 Timothy 4:12 from The Message Bible instructs, “Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”
Know where your teen is at all times. It is not only important that you know where your child is, but that you also know whom she or he is with. Therefore it is imperative that you become very familiar with their friends and associates. *Note: the people that your child associated with during the school year may vary from those she or he associates with during the summer. It is also important to know the parents or guardians of your teenager’s friends. Recent acts of teen violence have occurred while teens were supposedly under the care of an adult. So know what you teenager is doing and keep tabs on them. This fosters a respect for supervision. Proverbs 23:22-25 directs, “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.”
Keeping your teens focused by helping them to: develop structure, understand responsibility, and respect supervision is an excellent way to promote God’s standard of productivity in their lives.
