Teenage Rebellion is Not Inevitable

But neither is maturity and growth.

A friend took his 14-year-old daughter to a school event, during which he made a joke he thought was hilarious, as fathers often do. Later, he thought he might have embarrassed her, so he apologized.

“I thought it was funny, but I didn’t mean to embarrass you in front of your friends. Sorry about that.”

Her response: “Dad, I don’t care what my friends think about you. I care what you think about my friends.”

A lot of stuff is wrapped up in that one statement, like trust, love, and loyalty, but it proves he’s done something right. It also proves that having rebellious teenagers is not an inevitability. It’s not something that just “happens” like the rising of the sun.

However, the investment you made in your children becomes the most obvious in their teenage years. Will your investment yield a return? You will reap a harvest. Will it be one of wheat and fruit or one of tares and weeds? Will you be able to say to your children, “Do what you want,” and expect they will make the right choices?

How do you avoid the rebellious teenage years?