Tag Archives: adolescence

Great Books for Christian Parents

By Cary Schmidt | March 8, 2010

Frequently someone asks what books I would recommend on youth ministry or parenting. They are generally the same books. While there are some good books on youth ministry, the most helpful to youth ministry are those on the family. Whether you are a parent or a youth pastor, I would urge you to read everything [...]

Posted in books and resources, family, student ministry | Also tagged biblical living, book review, books, family, parenting, student ministry, teaching, teen life | 5 Comments

10 Things Your Teen Won’t Tell You (Part 3)

By caryschmidt | March 4, 2010

This is the third and final part in this series of articles. Click here to read part one or part two.
7. I’m as confused as you are about my problems. The truth—when you, in frustration, ask—“What wrong with you!?” They honestly don’t know the answer. If you feel like you are confused about what’s going [...]

Posted in family | Also tagged family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 1 Comment

10 Things Your Teen Won’t Tell You (Part 2)

By caryschmidt | March 2, 2010

This is part two of a three part series. Click here to read the first part of this article.
4. My deepest need is a sincere relationship with you. (I need time with parents.) Not only will they not say this—they won’t even admit to it or understand it. This one resides so deep in our God-given [...]

Posted in family | Also tagged family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 1 Comment

Before You Discipline Your Child…

By caryschmidt | February 23, 2010

Discipline is a sacred thing. Too often we parents take discipline too lightly or treat it too flippantly. In the big picture, all discipline is about bringing our children into a right relationship with their Heavenly Father, that He might bless their lives. It’s not about controlling behavior, modifying behavior, or minimizing embarrassment. Pure and [...]

Posted in family | Also tagged family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 4 Comments

10 Things Teens Won’t Tell You (Part 1)

By caryschmidt | February 8, 2010

Have you noticed that teens are tight lipped? For a myriad of reasons—usually intimidation being the biggest—they really find it difficult to talk to adults at times. This is especially true with parents. In every home, there is a spiritual battle against authentic communication. Let’s face it—the devil doesn’t want parents and teens to truly [...]

Posted in family, student ministry | Also tagged family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 1 Comment

New Data about Kids and Media

By caryschmidt | January 24, 2010

Several days ago the LA Times reported on a Kaiser Family Foundation study that showed kids are now averaging 53 hours per week in digital media, including TV, video games, cell phone, computer, etc. This does not include when kids are multitasking—perhaps using their phone and watching TV at the same time. When factoring those [...]

Posted in family | Also tagged danger, family, media & tech, parenting, social networking, technology | Leave a comment

7 Big Parenting Mistakes

By caryschmidt | November 10, 2009

Here’s a short list of mistakes that all parents can make when it comes to seeing, understanding, and biblically responding to the spiritual growing pains of life. (This is as much to myself as to others.) Stop and think about it—and pray for godly wisdom in responding to the issues of your children’s hearts with [...]

Posted in family, student ministry | Also tagged counseling, family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 2 Comments

Pitfalls of Passive Parents (Part 2)

By Cary Schmidt | October 22, 2009

This is part two of Pitfalls of Passive Parenting. Click here to read part one.
Passive Parents Focus on Behavior Modification Rather Than Heart Transformation—They are more concerned with minimizing embarrassment than with truly molding the heart. Eli wasn’t alarmed by the wickedness of his sons’ hearts. He was just embarrassed by their behavior and the [...]

Posted in family | Also tagged family, parenting, teen life | 1 Comment

The Pitfalls of Passive Parenting (Part 1)

By Cary Schmidt | September 28, 2009

Uncovering the assumptions and behaviors of disengaged parenting

“It’s just a phase—he will grow out of it.” “That’s just what teenagers do—she’ll mature.” “All kids are this way—there’s not really anything we can do to change that.” “They have to be able to make decisions for themselves.”
These and others are the statements we make to give [...]

Posted in family, featured | Also tagged family, parenting, teen life | 3 Comments

Suggested Family Cell Phone Guidelines

By Cary Schmidt | August 22, 2009

Seems like kids are getting cell phones younger and younger these days! This post is one I’m only doing because of requests. Several years ago, as our boys became teens, we decided to get cell phones for them—primarily so we could get a hold of them in relation to school and youth group outings. It [...]

Posted in family, student ministry | Also tagged communication, family, parenting, student ministry, technology, teen life | 2 Comments

New Research on Social Networking

By Cary Schmidt | August 19, 2009

Both TIME magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported on some dangers surfacing behind the many hours that teens are spending in social networking. Here are a few quotes from the San Francisco Chronicle article that relayed the results of a poll of 1,000 teens and 1,000 parents:
“From behind their bedroom doors, more than [...]

Posted in media & tech | Also tagged biblical living, danger, parenting, social networking, student ministry, technology, teen life, twitter | Leave a comment

Getting Teens to Air Their Questions

By Cary Schmidt | July 1, 2009

How an Honest Q&A Time Can Help Your Students

This week we’ve been at teen camp with 275 of our teens from LBC. It’s been a great week! One of my favorite aspects of camp is something we instituted a few years ago called “Answers to Tough Questions.” It’s a one hour Q&A time before dinner. [...]

Posted in counseling, student ministry | Also tagged parenting, student ministry, sunday school, teen life | 7 Comments

The Top Ten Dating Mistakes Parents Make (Part 3)

By caryschmidt | February 14, 2009

How Parents Let Their Kids Go Too Far, Too Fast, Too Soon

This is the final article in a series about the mistakes that parents often make in allowing their children to date too seriously too soon. We’ve seen the first seven, so let’s wrap it up…
8. They push their kids into dating out of a [...]

Posted in family, student ministry | Also tagged family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | Leave a comment

The Top Ten Dating Mistakes Parents Make (Part 2)

By caryschmidt | January 11, 2009

How Parents Let Their Kids Go Too Far, Too Fast, Too Soon

This is part two in a series of articles that flow from years of dealing with situations that arose out of well-meaning but short-sighted parental decisions. We all have blind spots, so these things are shared with a spirit of sincerity and humility [...]

Posted in family, student ministry | Also tagged danger, family, parenting, student ministry, teen life | 1 Comment

The Top Ten Dating Mistakes Parents Make (Part 1)

By caryschmidt | January 7, 2009

How Parents Let Their Kids Go Too Far, Too Fast, Too Soon

This is the first in a series of three articles.
Over the years, the Lord has allowed me the privilege to serve families and students in their journey together. Hundreds of teens have graduated from our student ministry, and the vast majority of them are [...]