Melissa Kruger talks with Sandi Taylor and Ruth Chou Simon about parenting teenagers. They reflect on the principles of their parenting that have stayed the same even though their practices have changed as their children age. They discuss how to pick the right battles, why you shouldn’t look shocked when your teen tells you something shocking, and why teens need both firmness and warmth from their parents.

Mentioned Resources:

• Parenting with Hope by Melissa Kruger

Related Resources:

• Parent, Meet Your Teen
• Breaking Social Media’s Grip on Teens
• You Can Parent Teens with Hope in a Secular Age
• Your Teenager Needs Discipleship

Discussion Questions:

• In what ways do you want to “go first” in modeling for your kids what a life following Jesus looks like?
• How and why does rule-making give us a false sense of security as parents? What areas do you feel most prone to create rules for your kids that go past what God has said?
• What idols has God revealed to you in your parenting? How will you combat the influence of those idols?
• How can you prioritize creating space and opportunities for conversations with your teen (or how will you plan to prioritize this in the future)?
• How does reflecting on the ways that God parents you help inform the way you want to parent your children?
• How can your discussion partners pray for you and your family in this season?