Hey gang! We're finally finishing chapter 2 in Walt Mueller's book "Youth Culture 101"  Today we're going to look at a few things that you as a parent can remember when it comes to bridging the cultural generation gap between you and your child. I'm on a time limit at Panera so we're going to jump right in!

Things to Remind Yourself When It comes to your Child.

1.  Understanding the world of kids is primarily a parents calling-  Let me be honest with you. I love you guys. I love your kids. I love teaching them about God and educating them about the culture around them. But when it comes to this job, YOU are the primary teacher. This means that you have to study up and get talking to your kids. I've had parents come to me and say "fix my kid". It doesn't work that way. I'm sorry. You are the number one influence into their lives. I'm here to help you with that!

2. It's never too early- Culture is affecting kids at younger and younger ages. It's never too early to begin to explain to them about what popular culture is saying. Mueller says not to "wait until your child is 12 or 13" to educate them about youth culture. This means that you can begin to talk to your children well before the adolescent years begin. The better prepared they are, the better they respond to the culture around them.

3. It's never too late- Your teenager slated for graduation this spring (or at least that's your prayers)? It's not too late to begin to help them to understand the culture that completely envelopes them. Don't let lack of time be an excuse to help your teen grow into a fully functional adult!

4. It won't be easy - Parenting is hard. Very Hard. I mean like Law School Hard.  It's not easy to talk to your kids about tough issues. There are some things to make it easier. You can read books about the world of teenagers (you're doing this now, sort of). You can watch the movies they watch. Read the books that they read (Twilight anyone?) Visit the websites that they visit. Observe teenagers at the mall or in public. And most of all, don't be afraid to ask your teen questions. And also you can check out www.cpyu.org

5. Pain is a blessing - Raising kids will definitely involve a little pain. Sometimes a lot of pain. Investing everything you have into your child and then having them make a mistake is tough to take. But like so many times in our lives, God can use pain to help us grow closer to Him. I mean take a look at when your child is disobedient to you. Think about how you are disobedient to God....very similar....eerily similar. Take the time to think through the pain to see what God is teaching you.

6. Understanding Youth Culture Allows for relationships to Grow- First off, understanding the cultural world that youth live in helps pass on God's teachings. Look at Jesus. Jesus used the culture around Him to teach the people of that day about the truths of God. We can do the same thing today. In doing so, you can help build relationships with your teen.

There you have it! The end of chapter 2! We've only been on it for about 8 weeks now! Next week we'll begin chapter 3 and look at how media affects your teen.

Until Then,

Jon