Revolution Student Ministries

Coming Wednesdays this winter!

Parenting Class: 10 Things our Kids Need from Us! New & Improved!

Who can’t relate to the whole idea of wanting your kids to grow up in a G-Rated world, because even you & I are influenced by the world around us. That’s what we’re going to be talking about in this parenting series.

Some of you long-time veterans of SHBC may remember me teaching this series 5 years ago and then in a small group 2 years ago. This is the 3.0 or 4.0 version. I’ve made a ton of mistakes since then and learned an awful lot. My kids are now 21 & 19. You have no idea how naive I was back then.

“I’m thrilled to teach this. These lessons are really for me. I love this church and I’m excited to share with you a little of what God has been doing in our family over the last 21 years. Basically what I’m going to do is open up my parenting journal to you… So join me Wednesday nights at 6:30 beginning January 11th for the introduction night and we will start the first class on January 18th. I’m looking forward to seeing you there.”
- Steve Watkins

Parents of Youth: a class for adults both single and married w/ adolescents & teens

Current series: Something About Love – led by Evan Dare and Steve Watkins

“I’m thrilled to teach this, these lessons are really for me. I love this church. I’m excited to share with you a little bit of what God’s been doing in my life. Basically what I’m going to do is I’m going to open up my journal to you. I’ve taken what I’ve learned this year in some of the lessons I’ve delivered and maybe a little step further only because – I’ve been listening to the messages with Pastor Hess, I’ve been listening to the New Testament & I’m excited about what’s been happening to our church during the Palm Sunday & Easter Season.

During this time period, I really have been challenged to look at how I love others & if I’m going to love the way I’ve been challenged to love and love the way God intends me to love… Each week in my personal quite time, I’ve been looking at how God calls us to love. Like love is not easily angered. That lesson ticked me off, because it’s so hard! Love forgives and how to be loving with your words. If I’m going to pull this off there’s one word that I just feel like God has given me a word during my time of study.

And the word is “sacrifice.” It’s the word I want to share with you in these lessons. It’s really what I want to challenge you to do as you and me try to be a more loving person.”

Parents of Youth LifeGroup is led by Steve & Jamie Watkins and meets at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings in room 202.

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Current D-Group Series: Evolve

Evolve: Parent Cue

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?
8. 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