If you have kids or work with students and your heart is to really help them navigate the rough teen years, you understand that this is not an easy task.
Adults, with your (in my own eyes, i am not an adult yet) years of wisdom, experience, and ultimately Convergent Thinking you have tendency to be EXTREMELY intrusive as students begin to process the Big Issues in their life because we want to help them:
- sort it out
- make the right decision
- avoid any heartache and/or pain
- understand truth/consequences/reality
This works great if we have the relational equity to do it but if not, this can blow up in our face in the form of a student completely shutting down to any influence or input we want to have in their life WHEN THEY TRULY NEED US THE MOST. (We know that, they don't necessarily know or if they do, they don't acknowledge it)
(IMPORTANT NOTE: Parents, don't assume you have that relational equity just because they're your child. If you haven't taken the time to truly 'sow' seed, the relational dynamic seed, there is no possible way you can 'reap' the harvest of that type of relational seed.)
In this post, I'm just trying to raise awareness of this cultural reality. I have no solutions. If you have any, feel free to comment below and help us all out.
As we try to embrace this youth culture, my encouragement to us all (myself included) is that we learn the balance between being INTERESTED and being INTRUSIVE, so that we can be even effective in reaching this generation for Jesus!
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