POP QUIZ TIME!  In which scenario will your teen react more negatively? A) You preparing their least favorite meal for dinner; B) Saying to them, “No, you can’t have a friend over tonight:” C) Instructing your son/daughter, “Absolutely no answering your cell phone during dinner!” and then you take a call right before your second helping of meatloaf. If you chose “C” then you answered correctly.  It’s no secret that hypocrisy is a credibility destroyer in parent/teen relationship.  Before you quickly dismiss the thought of being hypocritical in...

5.  They might experience hardships.  If a parent wishes to protect their child from difficulties that may require of them to implement problem solving skills, conflict/resolution skills, or anything related, don’t send them on a mission trip. 4.  They might get sick, both physically & emotionally.  It’s true, students & adults have been known to catch a cold, the flu or eat/drink something disagreeable to their stomachs while on a mission trip.  Also, being away from home may cause “homesickness.” If your child has not conquered homesickness by the teen years,...

It’s been said that certain life experiences help connect human relationships more than others. For example, get a group together for a sing-along, ie. a concert, and you’ve created a moment. Gather a few others to study a particular book or passage of scripture, and now you’re beginning to go deeper. Playing a sport, organized or informal, can certainly build memories that will last a lifetime . . . ask the guy who won his senior homecoming game in overtime. The aforementioned all help bond people together, but there are two other experiences that rank above all others. They are serving...