Script of Video

Script of Video

Raising Courageous Teens

Welcome to our online parenting class this month! We are going to talk about how you
can help your teenage son or daughter become more courageous. Our goal is not to
help your kids become firefighters, soldiers, or paramedics! Our hope this month is to
help you pass on every day, real-life kind of courage to your teen.

We live in a time when teenage anxiety, fear, and depression are at an all-time high.
Get a teenager alone at a coffee shop, and start processing the future with them. So
many of our sons and daughters view the future with fear and wonder what is ahead for
them. These are kids that wake up every morning with the worst news from around the
world at their fingertips through social media and the news apps right on their phones.
Sure, kids today have more knowledge than ever, but that also means they have more
“real world” issues to process and many of them are just not equipped emotionally to
process it all. Let’s be honest for a second, most of us as parents are not handling our
own fear and anxiety levels very well. 

In an age of high anxiety, news overload, and pressure to succeed there are things we
can do as parents to help our teens trade fear for courage. If you want to raise
courageous teens, then here are four moves you can make. 

Process the news together, and then process your own source of security. 

Our teens need to talk about real life with us and they need to hear us have confidence
in moments that seem insecure. Our hope, our strength as people of faith flows from
God. In moments of chaos, we can know God is with us. As teens are allowed to
process the news with us we get to remind them to turn to God with our fear and our
worry.

Discover your teen’s fears and help them confront them. 

Over time you are going to discover that your teen is anxious about a few specific
things. When you discover that source of fear it’s a blessing because now you know
how to help them. You can help your teen become more courageous as you walk them
through confronting their fears. Most of the time our teens just need a little help taking
the first step.

Help your teen prepare for the future. 

You are responsible for helping your teen dream about the future because their brains
are consumed with the present. Your teen is going to leave your home soon. What are
they going to do next? What can you do today to help them gather a plan for the future
and start preparing for it?

Guide your teen to set personal goals rather than just allowing them to live up to our
expectations. 

Winning is a good way to build courage and confidence for the future. Many teens are
just trying to chase our unspoken expectations. Be intentional and help your teen make
their own goals and achieve them. Small wins build courage to tackle larger goals in the
future. 

Most of raising courageous teens centers on communication and guidance. Your teen
needs you in their life right now as much as they needed you in Kindergarten. You can’t
do their homework, but you can be engaged in helping them confront the future with
courage. Praying for you as you invest this month!