There is substantial evidence that the pandemic has increased the number of adolescents (and even some pre-adolescents) who are anxious. It’s no wonder, given that Covid lockdowns and distancing robbed teenagers of many of the activities they care about most, disrupted their education, and isolated them from their friends. We’re all hoping that as life returns to something like normal, adolescents will rebound. But anxiety in adolescents was already on the rise before the pandemic. Why? Experts cite increased pressure to succeed in school, a world that feels scarier and the toll social media can take on self-esteem. But nobody really understands it. It’s important to recognize the signs of anxiety, and get kids who are struggling help. Read More

When most people think of an eating disorder, what comes to mind is a painfully thin young woman who eats almost nothing. But there are actually three common eating disorders. Not everyone with an eating disorder appears underweight, and not all are women. Read More

If you’re parenting a rebellious teen, consider this a hug from a fellow mom who feels your pain and sorrow. But before we get to some practical advice on parenting a rebellious teen, let’s talk about some ground rules that will put us on the right footing.

It’s not about you. This is the hardest thing for any parent to grasp—that we are not responsible for our children’s actions. The child is responsible for their actions. The parent does not produce the child—the child produces the child. So when your teen rebels, it’s more a statement about them than you.

It’s not a reflection of your parenting. This goes hand-in-hand with the first point. You can do everything right, and your teenager can still choose to do the wrong thing. This is because your teenager has the same sinful nature as every other person in the world, which means they can pick sinful things.

But take heart! Some general guidelines should help you as you raise a rebellious teenager. While this article won’t solve the problem entirely, I hope you’ll find these 11 tips helpful and encouraging as you continue this difficult parenting journey. Read More

Last November, I chaperoned a group of Champion Christian School youth leaders to the ACSI re:CONNECT Student Leadership Conference. I expected speakers to talk about trade publication biblical models of leadership geared for teenagers, and specifically I expected the focus to be on traits, or behaviors of leaders. I guessed that there might be sessions on self-awareness similar to Manz’s (2001) reflections on Matthew 7:1-6 that emphasized self-reflection before judgement. Instead, with our group of highschool students, I sat through session after session about biblical values. I think I heard the term leadership used once during the whole conference. The design of the conference was to consider, define, and defend biblical values in a post-Christian world. Read More

Every year at the end of January school choice becomes a topic of yellow scarves and celebrating the ability of parents and students to choose which kind of education best meets their needs. Many people around the country find it exhilarating, but for most, they just miss the whole issue. It is a shame, but it happens with hundreds of issues each day in our media-driven culture.

However, one of the voices that continues to be generally absent in this conversation is the evangelical protestant church. Now, I am not naive.... Read More