How To Live With Teenagers
1. pay them rent (you live in their house & your money’s theirs)
2. let them tuck you in at night (you’re old)
3. ask when you can use the car (they have a life)
4. study cross-cultural communications (they’re aliens)
5. learn how to bend laws (there are no rules)
6. buy noise-canceling headphones (what’s a decibel?)
7. become skilled in the art of rebuttal (they’re lawyers-in-training)
8. practice speaking in a vacuum (no one’s listening)
9. take yoga (you’re going to be stretched)
10.love unconditionally (they demand it AND need it)
I came up with this “how to” list because, well, I live with teenagers. Lisa and I have Joshua, 19; Jesse, 17; and Casile, 14; and they are wonderful people who have blessed our lives, and we thank God for them. So the list is obviously tongue-in-cheek. I also composed this list because I’m entering a “how to” contest that Darren Rowse is staging over at Problogger. Check it out for other entries.
Share This
…learn how to bend laws. (there are no rules)
LOL
Great advice! I raised three daughters & could have used some of these tips. Maintaining a lighthearted attitude, like you seem to have, must help a lot. You might enjoy my post for the writing project. It touches a little on your theme…
Nice site and post! Speaking in a vacum! Ha Ha! Thanks for contributing to the Group Writing Project at ProBlogger. It’s good to see Pastors blogging.
My How To is up also.
Ha! Like this how to. I’m the mom of four young adults (22, 20, 17 and 15) and they all still live at home!
For the most part, though, we get along great. I have very few rules (mostly, don’t do anything that gets me in trouble and we’re good), but the kids don’t abuse the freedom.
Great post! As for me…mine are 12 and 15 so I shall live by your rules!
You were once a teenager. Your parents survived.
I forgot to add that it is now payback time!
Hey, I found you via problogger.
I added you to my lists/links that caught my attention post today as well..nicely done.
So true. I have never lived with teenagers, but the ones I know fit this perfectly. It diffuses some of the tension to joke about it!
I’m a pastor too, working with teens everyday. I think I’ll print your list out an mail it to all the parents in my ministry…it’s certainly better advice than I’ve ever given them!!!!!
Great, fun post. Blessings on your ministry.
MG
thanks guys (sob, sob!), i’m SO thankful to know (sob, sob!) that I am not alone (sob, sob!).
Ha ha ha!! Future life with Lil’ Duck, I see….. Our how-to is up as well if you’d like to check it out!!
I did check it out, and I love it MamaDuck! you’re in for a ride!
I’ve always subscribed to the notion that young people between the ages of about 11 and 25 have a disconnect between their brains and the outside world that is as large as the Grand Canyon. Lots of yelling, echoing, and…burros are involved.
(Found you through the ProBlogger Writing Project. Nice one!)
So funny. I think my kids are actually starting early. Except for the car bit, the other nine on your list applies to my six and three year old.
Great article, and I love your site! Fabulous artwork.