Sorry its been a few days since I last left any thoughts but I have been having technical difficulties with my internet. All is solved and I have had extra time to ponder this topic. Respect is not something deserved, it is earned. Respect is the product of a mutual relationship involving communication and understanding. A married couple has to work at all of these to maintain their relationship and so do parents with their children.
I have noticed that the respect breaks down soon after the communication does. This happens especially fast when teenagers are involved! Teenagers, at least mine, require constant communication. When there is any waivering of the parent's ability to remain consistent or to maintain the communication, the teenager tends to replace it with things from the outside world. I am NOT saying that we, as parents, must hover over them every moment. I am saying that the ideals and morals that we expect them to live by must be reinforced constantly.
Teenagers like to do things on their own - Don't we all. But when expectations are cloudy the result may be less than desired. When the rules are not clear there will always be loopholes. Respect for their parents comes when a teen is held accountable for living by those rules set forth. Teens are living their lives trying to push limits just to see what will happen and this undeniably causes them a little stress. If they don't have to push the limits within their own home and they know what is and is not allowed it reduces stress at home for everyone.
This is an observation I am making as a new parent of teenagers and my husband and I are far from perfect at it. We are trying. We are communicating. We are setting limits. We do it with lots of love. Our end result......It will be good. If their hearts are full --- Their lives will be full.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
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