My teenager is starting to ask questions about stuff he sees online and at school that goes against what we believe. I want to guide him toward biblical thinking but I don't want to be the out of touch parent he just tunes out. How do you have real conversations with them about this without sounding like you're lecturing? I want him to own his faith not just inherit mine.
I've found that asking questions back works better than lecturing. When my 12-year-old brings something up, I'll ask him what he thinks about it first. Usually gets a real conversation going instead of him tuning me out.
Four kids here and I've learned the hard way that teenagers smell preachy from a mile away. Better approach is to share your own struggles with these things and be honest about your faith journey. They respect that way more than a sermon.
This is tough with three kids at different ages. I try to listen more than I talk, and honestly sometimes I'll say 'that's a good question, let me think about how to answer that' instead of having an instant response. Shows them it's okay to be thoughtful about this stuff.
This is such a tough age. I think the key is asking questions back instead of lecturing. Like when my son brings something up, I ask him what he thinks about it first. Gets a real conversation going instead of him just zoning out while you talk.
I've been trying to lead by example more than anything. My kids see how I handle stuff and that teaches them more than me trying to explain why something is 'wrong.' Still working it out to be honest.
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My teenager is 15 now and we just try to keep it real. No preaching. We tell him our values and then trust he'll make good choices. Definitely had some uncomfortable convos but they need to know you won't judge them for asking.