Get Outta My Face!

I am the mother of two teenaged sons with two more not far behind.

(And to those of you who just said, “Bless your heart,” I say “Yes, please.”)

Teenagers are, as you know, teenagers. Those of you who have raised teenagers (and lived to tell about it) and even those of you who were once teenagers know of what I speak. The attitude. The me-centered worldview. The eye rolling. It is no easy task, the raising of teens and I think perhaps that may be the understatement of the year.

Though I generally do not indulge in many parenting books, Get Outta My Face! by Rick Horne piqued my interest as it is subtitled How To Reach Angry Unmotivated Teens with Biblical Counsel. Horne sets forth three main goals for the book:

• How to talk effectively to an angry, disinterested, unmotivated teen (who usually doesn’t want to talk to you)
• How to nurture this young person’s willingness to make better choices (when he or she often doesn’t think that other options make any sense)
• How to restore a rich relationship (when both adult and teen may have given up hope that the relationship can get better)

Horne asserts that the first words spoken to the angry teen will determine one of two outcomes: “your words being received, thus beginning a conversation, or a Get outta my face response, thus shutting it all down.” He offers four aspects of the listening process:

• Listen Big: Build a Bridge to Your Teen
• Clarify Narrow: Expose the Realities of Your Teen’s Experience
• Look Wide: Discover Your Teen’s Solutions
• Plan Small: Support Changes Your Teen Wants

Get Outta My Face! is an immensely practical resource and would be of benefit not only to parents but also to teachers and anyone else dealing with teenagers (and living to tell about it).

Wife and mother, Bible teacher and blogger, Lisa loves Jesus, coffee, dark chocolate and, of course, books. Read more of her reflections at Lisa writes….