Youth Events for 2009
JANUARY
January 3rd – co-ed paintball day for canned food (there will be a canned goods donation instead of a field fee.) January 4th – all weekly youth events start back up.
January 17th – Local Mission Trip at the Rescue Mission Center in Winston Salem.
January 18th – No Youth.
January 25th – United Methodist District Youth Rally Concert 2:30-5:30 PM.
FEBRUARY
February 1st – Chili Bowl Youth Fundraiser and Super Bowl Party!
February 6-8th – Sr. High at UM ski trip and concert in Boone.
February 8th – No Youth; returning from a youth trip.
February 13-15th – Jr. high at UM ski trip and concert at Lake Junaluska.
February 15th – No Youth; returning from a youth trip.
February 21st – Winter Jam in Greensboro.
February 25th – Ash Wednesday – all youth encouraged to go to this special service.
MARCH
March – Girls Night Out and Dude’s Night Out weekend events for Jr. high’s and one weekend for sr. high’s.
APRIL
April 5th – Easter Party and special programming.
April 9th – Maundy Thursday Church Service at 7 PM.
April 10th – Youth Cross Walk followed by special service 6 -8 PM.
April 12th – No Youth – Easter Sunday. Special church services at 7 AM, 8:45 AM, 10:00 AM & 11:00 AM.
MAY
May 3rd – Youth attending Church Picnic at 4 PM (we’ll bus them over and have youthy stuff there).
May 10th – Youth encouraged to spoil their Mama’s for Mother’s Day. (No youth meeting on this day.)
May 15-16th – Graduating Senior Beach Trip.
May 24th – No Youth, Memorial Day Weekend.
May 31st – Last evening of The Shade for the semester.
JUNE
June 7th- Graduating Senior Banquet/Roast 5:30- 7 PM. (Lovingly put together by the youth.)
June 14-21st – Wilderness Trail.
June 21-27th – Service project – help with church VBS.
July 3-12th – Sr. high Mission Trip to Indian Reservation in Oklahoma.
July 16-20th – Sr. high Rafting Camp.
July 26-31st – Jr. high Mission Trip to Savannah, Georgia.
AUGUST
August 8-10th or 15-17th – SpiritUs.
August 30th – Promotion Sunday – everyone moves up a grade in Sunday School and youth programs.
August 30th – Youth Starts up again!
SEPTEMBER
September 6th – No Youth, Labor Day Weekend.
OCTOBER
October 31-November 1st – Jesus Rave Halloween Lock-in.
NOVEMBER
November - Girls Night Out and Dude’s Night Out weekend events for Jr. high’s and one weekend for sr. high’s.
DECEMBER
December 6th – Youth Christmas Party.
Other dates such as local missions and Fall and Winter retreats TBA.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Make it "stick" for test scores?
CONTENTS
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Learn Their Lingo
4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========DISCOVER HOW TO PRAY GOD'S WILL FOR THEIR LIVES
It's never been tougher to be a teenager--or the parent of one. Thankfully, from your teen's first date to the next time he or she borrows the car keys, you can take your concerns to God through prayer. Drawing on God's Word, "Praying the Scriptures for Your Teenagers" offers palpable help to pray about the stormy issues your teen faces.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "Praying the Scriptures for Your Teenagers" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1851
*Save 30% off the retail price of "Praying the Scriptures for Your Teenagers" when you use Coupon Code YPNOT4 and order by 11/5/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
This week's article is a continuation of the Growing Up, Preteen series by Mark Oestreicher. Mark asks an important question for parents to consider...
GROWING UP, PRETEEN: CONTENT OR PROCESS?
What's more important to learn during pre-teen and young teen years: content or process?
This is a very important question for parents to consider, especially with the current trend toward a college--prep emphasis in school culture. School curriculum often teaches toward test scores. Even Christian schools, who are rarely involved in state testing, often focus on cramming content with an eye to college acceptance.
Many churches take a similar approach: load pre-teens and young teens with info during this formative age, in hopes that it will "stick" and become a guiding force in their lives.
Unfortunately, this is quite misguided.
Just prior to puberty (around 10 or 11 years-old), your child's brain does a wonderful thing: it grows an abundance of new connections. Like a massive infiltration of tree roots grasping for earth, these new connections between various parts of the brain open up a world of possibilities.
However, these new connections are only that: possibilities. There is no good way to use them all. So, those connections that get exercised and used end up forming a dominant part of the brain's function through the rest of life. And those connections that are used less, well, they'll always be used less.
What does this tell us? It's essential that the pre-teen and young teen years be about learning how to think. Process, "what if", and "why?" are critical. Discovery is the best learning mode (for spiritual learning or academic learning). If young teens exercise this part of their developing brains, it will positively impact their lifelong thinking, their spiritual growth (after all, spiritual stuff is abstract), their emotional health, their relational maturity, and their desire to continue growing and learning.
So, make room for "why?" and "what if?" Those are questions of speculation (a brand-new, but wimpy, ability for young teens). Encourage discovery. Don't be threatened by questioned values and boundary-pushing. This is the best stuff of early-adolescent brain development!
OUTSIDE-THE-BOX BOOK RECOMMENDATION"Not Much Just Chillin': The Hidden Lives of Middle Schoolers", by Linda Perlstein (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York)
I've just finished reading the most significant book about young teens written in a decade (in my opinion) – and I read them all. Linda Perlstein is an education editor for the Washington Post. But she took a year off her day-job, and weaved her way into the lives and homes and classrooms of the average public middle school kids Wilde Lake Middle School in Columbia, Maryland (a suburb of Washington, DC).
Perlstein writes as a journalist (not a researcher, nor a storyteller). But she warmly riddles the book with research and stories. Reading this book will give parents a wonderful extended glimpse into all the issues we only touch on in this column. Every parent of a current or future middle school student needs to read this book:http://www.amazon.com/Not-Much-Just-Chillin-Schoolers/dp/0345475763/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224634943&sr=8-1
**
Mark Oestreicher is the president of Youth Specialties (www.YouthSpecialties.com), the leading provider of resources and training for Christian youth workers. Marko speaks to parents, teens and youth workers around the world, and writes books (mostly for youth ministry and young teens). He lives in San Diego with his wife, Jeannie, and his two kids, Liesl and Max.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
The National Parenting Center has many short articles written by child-rearing experts. http://www.tnpc.com/article/showcat.asp?n=7
Discovery Health: Teen Center – several articles dealing with teenage issues. http://health.discovery.com/centers/teen/takingrisks/risks.html
3. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- M&M = Alright, a little above mediocre. "Do you like that youth pastor?" "Yea, he's M&M."
- Shero = A female hero. "Superwoman is such a shero."
4. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"In general my children refuse to eat anything that hasn't danced in television." ~ Erma Bombeck
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Learn Their Lingo
4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========DISCOVER HOW TO PRAY GOD'S WILL FOR THEIR LIVES
It's never been tougher to be a teenager--or the parent of one. Thankfully, from your teen's first date to the next time he or she borrows the car keys, you can take your concerns to God through prayer. Drawing on God's Word, "Praying the Scriptures for Your Teenagers" offers palpable help to pray about the stormy issues your teen faces.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "Praying the Scriptures for Your Teenagers" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1851
*Save 30% off the retail price of "Praying the Scriptures for Your Teenagers" when you use Coupon Code YPNOT4 and order by 11/5/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
This week's article is a continuation of the Growing Up, Preteen series by Mark Oestreicher. Mark asks an important question for parents to consider...
GROWING UP, PRETEEN: CONTENT OR PROCESS?
What's more important to learn during pre-teen and young teen years: content or process?
This is a very important question for parents to consider, especially with the current trend toward a college--prep emphasis in school culture. School curriculum often teaches toward test scores. Even Christian schools, who are rarely involved in state testing, often focus on cramming content with an eye to college acceptance.
Many churches take a similar approach: load pre-teens and young teens with info during this formative age, in hopes that it will "stick" and become a guiding force in their lives.
Unfortunately, this is quite misguided.
Just prior to puberty (around 10 or 11 years-old), your child's brain does a wonderful thing: it grows an abundance of new connections. Like a massive infiltration of tree roots grasping for earth, these new connections between various parts of the brain open up a world of possibilities.
However, these new connections are only that: possibilities. There is no good way to use them all. So, those connections that get exercised and used end up forming a dominant part of the brain's function through the rest of life. And those connections that are used less, well, they'll always be used less.
What does this tell us? It's essential that the pre-teen and young teen years be about learning how to think. Process, "what if", and "why?" are critical. Discovery is the best learning mode (for spiritual learning or academic learning). If young teens exercise this part of their developing brains, it will positively impact their lifelong thinking, their spiritual growth (after all, spiritual stuff is abstract), their emotional health, their relational maturity, and their desire to continue growing and learning.
So, make room for "why?" and "what if?" Those are questions of speculation (a brand-new, but wimpy, ability for young teens). Encourage discovery. Don't be threatened by questioned values and boundary-pushing. This is the best stuff of early-adolescent brain development!
OUTSIDE-THE-BOX BOOK RECOMMENDATION"Not Much Just Chillin': The Hidden Lives of Middle Schoolers", by Linda Perlstein (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York)
I've just finished reading the most significant book about young teens written in a decade (in my opinion) – and I read them all. Linda Perlstein is an education editor for the Washington Post. But she took a year off her day-job, and weaved her way into the lives and homes and classrooms of the average public middle school kids Wilde Lake Middle School in Columbia, Maryland (a suburb of Washington, DC).
Perlstein writes as a journalist (not a researcher, nor a storyteller). But she warmly riddles the book with research and stories. Reading this book will give parents a wonderful extended glimpse into all the issues we only touch on in this column. Every parent of a current or future middle school student needs to read this book:http://www.amazon.com/Not-Much-Just-Chillin-Schoolers/dp/0345475763/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224634943&sr=8-1
**
Mark Oestreicher is the president of Youth Specialties (www.YouthSpecialties.com), the leading provider of resources and training for Christian youth workers. Marko speaks to parents, teens and youth workers around the world, and writes books (mostly for youth ministry and young teens). He lives in San Diego with his wife, Jeannie, and his two kids, Liesl and Max.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
The National Parenting Center has many short articles written by child-rearing experts. http://www.tnpc.com/article/showcat.asp?n=7
Discovery Health: Teen Center – several articles dealing with teenage issues. http://health.discovery.com/centers/teen/takingrisks/risks.html
3. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- M&M = Alright, a little above mediocre. "Do you like that youth pastor?" "Yea, he's M&M."
- Shero = A female hero. "Superwoman is such a shero."
4. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"In general my children refuse to eat anything that hasn't danced in television." ~ Erma Bombeck
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Growing Up Preteen
CONTENTS
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Learn Their Lingo
4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========NEW GMC REALITY SHOW YOU CAN WATCH WITH YOUR KIDS!
REVOLVE: ROCKIN' THE ROAD debuts on Gospel Music Channel Friday, October 17 at 11pm ET/8pm PT Encore Saturday at 11pm ET/8pm PT
When four friends go on tour, real-life drama follows. Gather your whole family to see how the cast and crew of Revolve handle life on the road, and help teens across the country tackle their toughest issues. From dating to tattoos, it doesn't get more real than this:http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com/revolve
===========our sponsor===========THE PARENT YOU WANT TO BE
When it comes to parenting, who you are is more important than what you do. "The Parent You Want to Be" shows you how to select your top four or five "intentional traits" and pass them along to your children. It's a revolutionary approach that you won't find in any other parenting book.
Learn more about and purchase "The Parent You Want to Be" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=435
*Save 30% off the retail price of "The Parent You Want to Be" when you use Coupon Code YPNOT3 and order by 10/29/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
GROWING UP, PRETEENWelcome to the world of paradox!
If you have a preteen or a young teen living in your home, you gain a whole new appreciation for the concept of paradox. These wonderful kids completely embody every meaning of the word. In so many areas, they seem to be both one thing, as well as the polar opposite! (This can be quite maddening, and paradoxically, quite exciting!) It's all about transition, baby.
Here's a list of a few you might notice:
Young teens can be incredibly trusting, but will only listen to someone who's honest and transparent. Young teens (and especially preteens) don't have the jaded skepticism of their older teen brothers and sisters. They are very willing to trust – a wonderful characteristic that shouldn't be missed. This time of life is, in many ways, a last-stop refueling station into the long desert drive of adolescence. Take this opportunity to build on that trust, to show that your word is good.
At the same time, they are beginning to develop a more adult sense of the baloney-detection. If you want to be an example to your young teen, if you want to continue in a role of impacting their lives, it's essential that you do so through a commitment to honesty and vulnerability. This can be pretty tough, even threatening. When you're wrong, it's crucial that you admit it. If they sniff out insincerity or hypocrisy in your or your words, you'll quickly lose your place of leadership in their lives.
They'll catch less than you'd think, yet they're savvier than you'd expect. This is a tricky one, but so true! Because the life of a young teen is all about change (physical, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, psychological), they have a huge tendency to "in-one-ear-out-the-other" behavior. You've certainly experienced this! You explained to your daughter why a certain behavior is a bad choice, and two weeks later, she seems to have no memory of that discussion. Often that's because she really doesn't have a memory of that discussion!
But at the same time, young teens are developing a very savvy ability to see through charades, to understand when they're being marketed to, and to be aware of consequences. Often what happens with kids this age is that they are savvy enough to understand a situation, but not enough to apply it to their lives.
They want to be treated like adults, but have the opportunity to act like children. This has enormous implications. They're caught in an in-between world. They know where they want to go: they know they want to be treated like adults, to have more freedoms, to make more decisions on their own, to not be treated as if they were 4th graders. It's important to talk to young teens with an adult voice, and to begin the move to a come-alongside perspective.
But at the same time, they are still very much children, and need the opportunity to act that out, without pressure to grow up too soon. A girl may move out of her childhood music choices, but still love to play with Barbie dolls. Allow her to live in that place. A boy may desire to sit at the adult table at family gatherings, but still keep a childhood stuffed animal on his bed. Don't rush them into adulthood, but don't treat them like little kids anymore either.
Some are really young adults, while some are really children, and most are both. The reality is this: it's not that the young teen living in your home is either a child or a young adult (with some magic line being crossed at some point); it's that she's both, at the same time. Young teens aren't just in-between, they're in an overlap zone – childhood remains, while they've already stepped into the young adult world.
Living with paradox isn't easy! But it's not only the reality of the young teen years, it's somehow part of God's wonderful design for this transition to healthy independence and adulthood. Have fun!
**
Mark Oestreicher is the president of Youth Specialties (www.YouthSpecialties.com), the leading provider of resources and training for Christian youth workers. Marko speaks to parents, teens and youth workers around the world, and writes books (mostly for youth ministry and young teens). He lives in San Diego with his wife, Jeannie, and his two kids, Liesl and Max.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
Ford's MyKey aims to help parents watch new drivershttp://www.freep.com/article/20081007/BUSINESS01/810070331/1002/BUSINESS
Cyberbullying Will Stop When Adults Level With Their Kidshttp://mashable.com/2008/10/04/cyberbullying-adults-kids/
3. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- AITR - Adult in the Room
4. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"We are the people our parents warned us about." ~ Jimmy Buffett
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Learn Their Lingo
4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========NEW GMC REALITY SHOW YOU CAN WATCH WITH YOUR KIDS!
REVOLVE: ROCKIN' THE ROAD debuts on Gospel Music Channel Friday, October 17 at 11pm ET/8pm PT Encore Saturday at 11pm ET/8pm PT
When four friends go on tour, real-life drama follows. Gather your whole family to see how the cast and crew of Revolve handle life on the road, and help teens across the country tackle their toughest issues. From dating to tattoos, it doesn't get more real than this:http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com/revolve
===========our sponsor===========THE PARENT YOU WANT TO BE
When it comes to parenting, who you are is more important than what you do. "The Parent You Want to Be" shows you how to select your top four or five "intentional traits" and pass them along to your children. It's a revolutionary approach that you won't find in any other parenting book.
Learn more about and purchase "The Parent You Want to Be" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=435
*Save 30% off the retail price of "The Parent You Want to Be" when you use Coupon Code YPNOT3 and order by 10/29/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
GROWING UP, PRETEENWelcome to the world of paradox!
If you have a preteen or a young teen living in your home, you gain a whole new appreciation for the concept of paradox. These wonderful kids completely embody every meaning of the word. In so many areas, they seem to be both one thing, as well as the polar opposite! (This can be quite maddening, and paradoxically, quite exciting!) It's all about transition, baby.
Here's a list of a few you might notice:
Young teens can be incredibly trusting, but will only listen to someone who's honest and transparent. Young teens (and especially preteens) don't have the jaded skepticism of their older teen brothers and sisters. They are very willing to trust – a wonderful characteristic that shouldn't be missed. This time of life is, in many ways, a last-stop refueling station into the long desert drive of adolescence. Take this opportunity to build on that trust, to show that your word is good.
At the same time, they are beginning to develop a more adult sense of the baloney-detection. If you want to be an example to your young teen, if you want to continue in a role of impacting their lives, it's essential that you do so through a commitment to honesty and vulnerability. This can be pretty tough, even threatening. When you're wrong, it's crucial that you admit it. If they sniff out insincerity or hypocrisy in your or your words, you'll quickly lose your place of leadership in their lives.
They'll catch less than you'd think, yet they're savvier than you'd expect. This is a tricky one, but so true! Because the life of a young teen is all about change (physical, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, psychological), they have a huge tendency to "in-one-ear-out-the-other" behavior. You've certainly experienced this! You explained to your daughter why a certain behavior is a bad choice, and two weeks later, she seems to have no memory of that discussion. Often that's because she really doesn't have a memory of that discussion!
But at the same time, young teens are developing a very savvy ability to see through charades, to understand when they're being marketed to, and to be aware of consequences. Often what happens with kids this age is that they are savvy enough to understand a situation, but not enough to apply it to their lives.
They want to be treated like adults, but have the opportunity to act like children. This has enormous implications. They're caught in an in-between world. They know where they want to go: they know they want to be treated like adults, to have more freedoms, to make more decisions on their own, to not be treated as if they were 4th graders. It's important to talk to young teens with an adult voice, and to begin the move to a come-alongside perspective.
But at the same time, they are still very much children, and need the opportunity to act that out, without pressure to grow up too soon. A girl may move out of her childhood music choices, but still love to play with Barbie dolls. Allow her to live in that place. A boy may desire to sit at the adult table at family gatherings, but still keep a childhood stuffed animal on his bed. Don't rush them into adulthood, but don't treat them like little kids anymore either.
Some are really young adults, while some are really children, and most are both. The reality is this: it's not that the young teen living in your home is either a child or a young adult (with some magic line being crossed at some point); it's that she's both, at the same time. Young teens aren't just in-between, they're in an overlap zone – childhood remains, while they've already stepped into the young adult world.
Living with paradox isn't easy! But it's not only the reality of the young teen years, it's somehow part of God's wonderful design for this transition to healthy independence and adulthood. Have fun!
**
Mark Oestreicher is the president of Youth Specialties (www.YouthSpecialties.com), the leading provider of resources and training for Christian youth workers. Marko speaks to parents, teens and youth workers around the world, and writes books (mostly for youth ministry and young teens). He lives in San Diego with his wife, Jeannie, and his two kids, Liesl and Max.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
Ford's MyKey aims to help parents watch new drivershttp://www.freep.com/article/20081007/BUSINESS01/810070331/1002/BUSINESS
Cyberbullying Will Stop When Adults Level With Their Kidshttp://mashable.com/2008/10/04/cyberbullying-adults-kids/
3. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- AITR - Adult in the Room
4. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"We are the people our parents warned us about." ~ Jimmy Buffett
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Home, Green Home
CONTENTS
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Inside Your Teen's World
4. Learn Their Lingo
5. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========SERVE GOD BY SAVING THE PLANET
Our planet is no longer the paradise God created. In "It's Easy Being Green" teens will learn how to honor God in the choices they make and they'll begin to understand the impact those choices have on the environment. Seventeen-year-old Emma Sleeth will help your students see how they can make a difference at school, around the house, and all over the world.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "It's Easy Being Green" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=393
*Save 30% off the retail price of "It's Easy Being Green" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT2. This offer expires 10/22/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
This week's excerpt is from the book "It's Easy Being Green," by Emma Sleeth, written when she was 15 for teens. In this excerpt parents will learn ways to partner with their teens in greening their home.
HOME, GREEN HOME
I started recycling at a very young age.
Behind our house in Freeport there was a little path through the woods. The path led right to a parking lot that was located between our school and a little general store. And in that parking lot, there was a huge recycling receptacle--the kind we New Englanders call a "Silver Bullet." You know, it's one of those big metal containers with windows for different types of recyclable material--and usually a bit of graffiti on the outside.
That Silver Bullet was a beautiful thing.
When we were little, Clark and I used to race each other down the path. He always won. But I didn't care most of the time, because whenever our destination was that Silver Bullet, I was the real winner.
Panting, we would wait until no one was around, then Clark would boost me up to the "paper" window. I was small enough to wriggle through the opening into the little room carpeted by newspapers, cardboard boxes, and magazines. We had to go at just the right time: If it had just been emptied, there wasn't much in there and it was hard to climb back out; but if we went too late, not only was it hard to sift through all the contents but somebody might see me through the window. We also had to get there at the right time of day: Too early, and the sun wasn't high enough to shine through the little windows to illuminate my searches; too late, and people might dump paper on me as they brought their recycling during lunch break or after work.
With my brother keeping lookout, I would scrounge around among all the recycled paper, looking for two things: 1) interesting magazines we could cut pictures out of or use for origami paper, and 2) cereal box tops--the kind your school can get five cents for if you rip them off and bring them into the school office.
The school receptionist must have thought the Sleeth family did nothing but eat Cocoa Puff s all day. Actually, we never ate them--Mom always went for the healthy, granola-ish cereals that didn't have refundable box tops. But we managed to bring in many dollars worth of cardboard rectangles.
From our rather devious salvaging escapades as children, Clark and I learned a few things about recycling. We learned that cooperation is necessary for success: Yes, I did get stuck more than once when I tried to go in by myself. We also learned the truth of the old cliché: "One man's trash is another man's treasure." And finally, we learned that recycling often translates into money.
Recycling remains one of the most important things you can do at home to help care for the environment. If your family doesn't recycle, start now. At our house, we have four plastic tubs lined up in the pantry underneath the shelves: one for paper and cardboard, one for glass and plastic, one for steel cans, and one for aluminum cans. Some communities make recycling super-easy by offering curbside pick-up--you just set the recycling containers out with the trash cans. We need to take our materials to the recycling center, but we've found it's really not much extra effort. Whenever we need to run errands in Littleton, we take the first three bins to the center there. Whenever the fourth one fills up, we take it into the can refund center in St. Johnsbury. Recycling all these materials means we rarely have more than a paper bag full of garbage on the curb on trash day. Plus, there's the added bonus of being able to peruse the used book exchange at the recycling center whenever I go with Mom. One of my best Bible reference books came from the recycling center.
Composting comes right along with recycling. It makes so much sense. We have a pitcher that stays right by the sink to put food scraps in when we're doing the dishes or cooking. When the pitcher is full--usually about once a day--one of us will dump the contents on the compost pile by the side of our property. We've tried more complicated things like worms and different additives that are supposed to speed up the composting process, but we've found that our simple piles work just fine. Every few years, we just begin a new pile and add the decomposing material in the other pile to our garden. And because we take out the compost so often and clean out the pitcher each time, we've never had a problem with the food scraps getting smelly or attracting bugs. There's no lid, nothing added to the scraps to reduce odors--just quite a few apple cores and broccoli stalks that get taken out quite frequently.
There are so many things you can do around your own home to make it better for the environment. Some of the changes will require the cooperation of your family to maximize the impact, but you can start alone. Some of the changes may seem inconvenient at first, or too much like chores, but they can add so much to your life if you see them for what they really are: ways of honoring God and great opportunities to spend more time with your family working toward a common goal. Many of the changes will seem less onerous if you compare your lifestyle with those of teens living in areas of our world most severely affected by poverty and environmental problems. The worst "inconvenience" you encounter in trying to live a more earth-friendly life might seem like the height of luxury for teens in countries like Honduras or Haiti, who have to wonder if they have safe drinking water or clean air to breathe. And I'm willing to bet that a lot of the simple changes you can make around your house will also save money--money that you'd probably prefer to be giving to a charity or ministry rather than an electric company.
**
Emma Sleeth was fifteen years old when she wrote "It's Easy Being Green". As a junior in high school, she felt called to write about the biblical mandate to protect the environment--especially her generation's responsibility. She is a leader of the evangelical movement to prevent climate change. She learned about and developed her passion for environmentalism from her father, a doctor who wrote Serve God, Save the Planet: a Christian Call to Action. Now seventeen, Emma has received a scholarship to attend Asbury College. She and her family live in Wilmore, Kentucky.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "It's Easy Being Green" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=393
*Save 30% off the retail price of "It's Easy Being Green" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT2. This offer expires 10/22/08.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
Teenreads.com offers reviews and info on the latest and most popular books for teens.http://www.teenreads.com/
Help teens stay safe as they begin drivinghttp://www.allstate.com/tools-and-resources/parent-action-plan.aspx
3. INSIDE YOUR TEEN'S WORLD...Random things you may not have heard about...
Dating aggression is surprisingly common affecting 1 in 5 girls ages 14-18.http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/articlegh.aspx?cp-documentid=10825470
4. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- Screepy = A word made by the accidental combination of creepy and scary. It can be used in place of either word. "That is one screepy lookin' guy."
- Iced Out = wearing a lot of jewelry "Check out all that bling-bling, you're iced out!"
5. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry." ~ Bill Cosby
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Inside Your Teen's World
4. Learn Their Lingo
5. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========SERVE GOD BY SAVING THE PLANET
Our planet is no longer the paradise God created. In "It's Easy Being Green" teens will learn how to honor God in the choices they make and they'll begin to understand the impact those choices have on the environment. Seventeen-year-old Emma Sleeth will help your students see how they can make a difference at school, around the house, and all over the world.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "It's Easy Being Green" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=393
*Save 30% off the retail price of "It's Easy Being Green" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT2. This offer expires 10/22/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
This week's excerpt is from the book "It's Easy Being Green," by Emma Sleeth, written when she was 15 for teens. In this excerpt parents will learn ways to partner with their teens in greening their home.
HOME, GREEN HOME
I started recycling at a very young age.
Behind our house in Freeport there was a little path through the woods. The path led right to a parking lot that was located between our school and a little general store. And in that parking lot, there was a huge recycling receptacle--the kind we New Englanders call a "Silver Bullet." You know, it's one of those big metal containers with windows for different types of recyclable material--and usually a bit of graffiti on the outside.
That Silver Bullet was a beautiful thing.
When we were little, Clark and I used to race each other down the path. He always won. But I didn't care most of the time, because whenever our destination was that Silver Bullet, I was the real winner.
Panting, we would wait until no one was around, then Clark would boost me up to the "paper" window. I was small enough to wriggle through the opening into the little room carpeted by newspapers, cardboard boxes, and magazines. We had to go at just the right time: If it had just been emptied, there wasn't much in there and it was hard to climb back out; but if we went too late, not only was it hard to sift through all the contents but somebody might see me through the window. We also had to get there at the right time of day: Too early, and the sun wasn't high enough to shine through the little windows to illuminate my searches; too late, and people might dump paper on me as they brought their recycling during lunch break or after work.
With my brother keeping lookout, I would scrounge around among all the recycled paper, looking for two things: 1) interesting magazines we could cut pictures out of or use for origami paper, and 2) cereal box tops--the kind your school can get five cents for if you rip them off and bring them into the school office.
The school receptionist must have thought the Sleeth family did nothing but eat Cocoa Puff s all day. Actually, we never ate them--Mom always went for the healthy, granola-ish cereals that didn't have refundable box tops. But we managed to bring in many dollars worth of cardboard rectangles.
From our rather devious salvaging escapades as children, Clark and I learned a few things about recycling. We learned that cooperation is necessary for success: Yes, I did get stuck more than once when I tried to go in by myself. We also learned the truth of the old cliché: "One man's trash is another man's treasure." And finally, we learned that recycling often translates into money.
Recycling remains one of the most important things you can do at home to help care for the environment. If your family doesn't recycle, start now. At our house, we have four plastic tubs lined up in the pantry underneath the shelves: one for paper and cardboard, one for glass and plastic, one for steel cans, and one for aluminum cans. Some communities make recycling super-easy by offering curbside pick-up--you just set the recycling containers out with the trash cans. We need to take our materials to the recycling center, but we've found it's really not much extra effort. Whenever we need to run errands in Littleton, we take the first three bins to the center there. Whenever the fourth one fills up, we take it into the can refund center in St. Johnsbury. Recycling all these materials means we rarely have more than a paper bag full of garbage on the curb on trash day. Plus, there's the added bonus of being able to peruse the used book exchange at the recycling center whenever I go with Mom. One of my best Bible reference books came from the recycling center.
Composting comes right along with recycling. It makes so much sense. We have a pitcher that stays right by the sink to put food scraps in when we're doing the dishes or cooking. When the pitcher is full--usually about once a day--one of us will dump the contents on the compost pile by the side of our property. We've tried more complicated things like worms and different additives that are supposed to speed up the composting process, but we've found that our simple piles work just fine. Every few years, we just begin a new pile and add the decomposing material in the other pile to our garden. And because we take out the compost so often and clean out the pitcher each time, we've never had a problem with the food scraps getting smelly or attracting bugs. There's no lid, nothing added to the scraps to reduce odors--just quite a few apple cores and broccoli stalks that get taken out quite frequently.
There are so many things you can do around your own home to make it better for the environment. Some of the changes will require the cooperation of your family to maximize the impact, but you can start alone. Some of the changes may seem inconvenient at first, or too much like chores, but they can add so much to your life if you see them for what they really are: ways of honoring God and great opportunities to spend more time with your family working toward a common goal. Many of the changes will seem less onerous if you compare your lifestyle with those of teens living in areas of our world most severely affected by poverty and environmental problems. The worst "inconvenience" you encounter in trying to live a more earth-friendly life might seem like the height of luxury for teens in countries like Honduras or Haiti, who have to wonder if they have safe drinking water or clean air to breathe. And I'm willing to bet that a lot of the simple changes you can make around your house will also save money--money that you'd probably prefer to be giving to a charity or ministry rather than an electric company.
**
Emma Sleeth was fifteen years old when she wrote "It's Easy Being Green". As a junior in high school, she felt called to write about the biblical mandate to protect the environment--especially her generation's responsibility. She is a leader of the evangelical movement to prevent climate change. She learned about and developed her passion for environmentalism from her father, a doctor who wrote Serve God, Save the Planet: a Christian Call to Action. Now seventeen, Emma has received a scholarship to attend Asbury College. She and her family live in Wilmore, Kentucky.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "It's Easy Being Green" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=393
*Save 30% off the retail price of "It's Easy Being Green" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT2. This offer expires 10/22/08.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
Teenreads.com offers reviews and info on the latest and most popular books for teens.http://www.teenreads.com/
Help teens stay safe as they begin drivinghttp://www.allstate.com/tools-and-resources/parent-action-plan.aspx
3. INSIDE YOUR TEEN'S WORLD...Random things you may not have heard about...
Dating aggression is surprisingly common affecting 1 in 5 girls ages 14-18.http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/articlegh.aspx?cp-documentid=10825470
4. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- Screepy = A word made by the accidental combination of creepy and scary. It can be used in place of either word. "That is one screepy lookin' guy."
- Iced Out = wearing a lot of jewelry "Check out all that bling-bling, you're iced out!"
5. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell the name will carry." ~ Bill Cosby
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Dealing with Anger
CONTENTS
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Inside Your Teen's World
4. Learn Their Lingo
5. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========IT'S A DIRTY WORD...BUT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DO IT!
In this practical book, youth ministry veteran Les Christie will help you take a positive approach to discipline when it becomes necessary. "When Church Kids Go Bad" will:
- Reveal the reasons behind problem behavior and show you how to take a positive approach to discipline
- Teach you how to use rules and consequences effectively
- Help you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in discipline situations (and improve your areas of weakness)
- Give you dozens of specific, practical, helpful ideas you can use immediately with your students
Learn more about and purchase the book, "When Church Kids Go Bad" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=431
*Save 30% off the retail price of "When Church Kids Go Bad" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT1. This offer expires 10/15/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
This week's excerpt is from the book "When Church Kids Go Bad," by Les Christie. In this excerpt you'll explore some ways to handle anger--or even better, how to keep frustration from growing into anger. We've edited it a little to be less ministry-specific, since we know that parents, too, have to deal with angry teens (and may become angry themselves sometimes!).
PREVENTING MOLEHILLS FROM BECOMING MOUNTAINS
There are times when you'll get angry with your teen. That's the nature of this ministry. But here are a few dos and don'ts to help you prevent molehills of frustration from growing into mountains of anger:
Don't...
- Use a sarcastic tone or put kids down.
- Quit.
- Get into a power struggle.
- Humiliate.
- Ignore bad behavior.
- Be surprised at bad behavior.
- Do anything drastic until you listen a lot, think a lot, and pray a lot.
- Allow discussions to turn into destructive arguments.
Do...
- Pause before taking "official action." Always count to 10. Better yet, try 110.
- Admit your anger.
- Ask the person to talk with you privately.
- Speak firmly.
- Make it clear you expect good behavior.
- Enlist other adults for advice, help, prayer, and support.
- Intervene immediately when violent behavior occurs.
- Notice good behavior and tell the person.
- Cool off briefly before you discuss the problem with the person.
- Be specific about the behavior you object to.
- Apologize if you're wrong.
- Allow the person to save face.
- Demonstrate forgiveness to the person who made you angry.
- Share a prayer of thankfulness when the conflict is over and the problem resolved.
- Ask the person what course of action they think you should follow. (The "misbehaver" often has a good idea that will take care of the situation.)
When Young People Get Angry
Of course, it's not just adults who get angry. As [parents] we're dealing with kids who sometimes struggle to handle their own emotions. It's important to recognize the kinds of things we may do that can anger the young people we [live] with.
In his book "How We Make Our Kids Angry"(2007), Roger Cross suggests some primary ways adults make teens angry:
- Pressuring teens to be something they are not. Pushing, cajoling, nagging, or "guilting" kids into a particular life direction or career path without considering their wishes or dreams.
- Loving teens for what they do instead of who they are. Raising kids in a performance-based environment.
- Favoring some teens over others. When kids sense disparity, they become hurt and angry.
- Treating teens with disrespect. Violating kids' self-esteem through insults and humiliation.
Children often store up a great deal of anger because they do not have adequate means of releasing feelings of frustration, confusion, and helplessness. Teenagers, however, have greater opportunity and ability to release these charged feelings. The combined force of pent-up anger from the past and current anger sometimes causes teenagers to overreact.
Adolescent anger is often closely associated with the need to rebel or push away from parents and other authority figures. Energy from the anger is used to strengthen the pushing-away process. Angry reactions may also express a young person's need to gain a greater sense of control over her life. Although these emotions can be uncomfortable and often scary to deal with, they can be normal and healthy when handled appropriately.
But when such anger is mishandled, it can turn into rage, hostility, or resentment. Rage is anger that is so intense that it is beyond a person's control. Hostility is anger that is felt for a longer period of time and involves the wish or impulse to inflict pain or harm to the object of the anger. Resentment develops when a hurt or transgression is not confronted and forgiven.
Don't try to win an argument with an extremely angry young person. You can't--she will only get angrier. The young person needs to get the anger out before you can reason with her. She needs to get it out in a way that will not cause any damage. Don't let her repress it, or it will simply go underground and build.
Be thankful when a young person trusts you enough to let you see his anger. Try to stay calm as he pours out all his anger. After the anger is out, he will be emotionally drained and more open to your input. Be sure to affirm him by telling him you are proud that he didn't take his anger out in more aggressive ways.
Now Ask Yourself
1. How do you handle anger in your own life? What are some ways you can improve your ability to deal with difficult situations?
2. Make a list of positive ways to dispel anger.
3. How would you handle an extremely angry teenager?
**
Les Christie has spent more than forty years in youth ministry, including more than twenty years in the same church. An energetic speaker, Les also chairs the youth ministry department at William Jessup University. He's the author of more than a dozen books and lives in California with his wife, Gretchen, where he no longer has to discipline his two grown sons, Brent and David.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "When Church Kids Go Bad" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=431
*Save 30% off the retail price of "When Church Kids Go Bad" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT1. This offer expires 10/15/08.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
Music Review: "Paper Planes" by M.I.A.http://www.planetwisdom.com/music/reviews/mia_paperplanes.php
Revolution Health: Parenting Teens & Preteenshttp://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/parenting/teens-preteens/index
3. INSIDE YOUR TEEN'S WORLD...Random things you may not have heard about...
Bum Rap: The latest and perhaps most disturbing evolution of clothing with suggestive phrases on the backside, and what schools are doing about ithttp://www.newsweek.com/id/157223
The Secret Lives of Your Kids Onlinehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26747108/
4. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- Tina = Slang for Crystal Meth. "I'm looking for Tina"
- Troop = n. a long walk or trip. "Taco Bell? That's a troop and a half."
5. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"I believe in making the world safe for our children, but not our children's children, because I don't think children should be having sex." ~ Jack Handey
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Links to Learn From
3. Inside Your Teen's World
4. Learn Their Lingo
5. A Little Encouragement...And Humor
===========our sponsor===========IT'S A DIRTY WORD...BUT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DO IT!
In this practical book, youth ministry veteran Les Christie will help you take a positive approach to discipline when it becomes necessary. "When Church Kids Go Bad" will:
- Reveal the reasons behind problem behavior and show you how to take a positive approach to discipline
- Teach you how to use rules and consequences effectively
- Help you evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in discipline situations (and improve your areas of weakness)
- Give you dozens of specific, practical, helpful ideas you can use immediately with your students
Learn more about and purchase the book, "When Church Kids Go Bad" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=431
*Save 30% off the retail price of "When Church Kids Go Bad" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT1. This offer expires 10/15/08.
================================
1. TOOLS FOR PARENTING TEENS
This week's excerpt is from the book "When Church Kids Go Bad," by Les Christie. In this excerpt you'll explore some ways to handle anger--or even better, how to keep frustration from growing into anger. We've edited it a little to be less ministry-specific, since we know that parents, too, have to deal with angry teens (and may become angry themselves sometimes!).
PREVENTING MOLEHILLS FROM BECOMING MOUNTAINS
There are times when you'll get angry with your teen. That's the nature of this ministry. But here are a few dos and don'ts to help you prevent molehills of frustration from growing into mountains of anger:
Don't...
- Use a sarcastic tone or put kids down.
- Quit.
- Get into a power struggle.
- Humiliate.
- Ignore bad behavior.
- Be surprised at bad behavior.
- Do anything drastic until you listen a lot, think a lot, and pray a lot.
- Allow discussions to turn into destructive arguments.
Do...
- Pause before taking "official action." Always count to 10. Better yet, try 110.
- Admit your anger.
- Ask the person to talk with you privately.
- Speak firmly.
- Make it clear you expect good behavior.
- Enlist other adults for advice, help, prayer, and support.
- Intervene immediately when violent behavior occurs.
- Notice good behavior and tell the person.
- Cool off briefly before you discuss the problem with the person.
- Be specific about the behavior you object to.
- Apologize if you're wrong.
- Allow the person to save face.
- Demonstrate forgiveness to the person who made you angry.
- Share a prayer of thankfulness when the conflict is over and the problem resolved.
- Ask the person what course of action they think you should follow. (The "misbehaver" often has a good idea that will take care of the situation.)
When Young People Get Angry
Of course, it's not just adults who get angry. As [parents] we're dealing with kids who sometimes struggle to handle their own emotions. It's important to recognize the kinds of things we may do that can anger the young people we [live] with.
In his book "How We Make Our Kids Angry"(2007), Roger Cross suggests some primary ways adults make teens angry:
- Pressuring teens to be something they are not. Pushing, cajoling, nagging, or "guilting" kids into a particular life direction or career path without considering their wishes or dreams.
- Loving teens for what they do instead of who they are. Raising kids in a performance-based environment.
- Favoring some teens over others. When kids sense disparity, they become hurt and angry.
- Treating teens with disrespect. Violating kids' self-esteem through insults and humiliation.
Children often store up a great deal of anger because they do not have adequate means of releasing feelings of frustration, confusion, and helplessness. Teenagers, however, have greater opportunity and ability to release these charged feelings. The combined force of pent-up anger from the past and current anger sometimes causes teenagers to overreact.
Adolescent anger is often closely associated with the need to rebel or push away from parents and other authority figures. Energy from the anger is used to strengthen the pushing-away process. Angry reactions may also express a young person's need to gain a greater sense of control over her life. Although these emotions can be uncomfortable and often scary to deal with, they can be normal and healthy when handled appropriately.
But when such anger is mishandled, it can turn into rage, hostility, or resentment. Rage is anger that is so intense that it is beyond a person's control. Hostility is anger that is felt for a longer period of time and involves the wish or impulse to inflict pain or harm to the object of the anger. Resentment develops when a hurt or transgression is not confronted and forgiven.
Don't try to win an argument with an extremely angry young person. You can't--she will only get angrier. The young person needs to get the anger out before you can reason with her. She needs to get it out in a way that will not cause any damage. Don't let her repress it, or it will simply go underground and build.
Be thankful when a young person trusts you enough to let you see his anger. Try to stay calm as he pours out all his anger. After the anger is out, he will be emotionally drained and more open to your input. Be sure to affirm him by telling him you are proud that he didn't take his anger out in more aggressive ways.
Now Ask Yourself
1. How do you handle anger in your own life? What are some ways you can improve your ability to deal with difficult situations?
2. Make a list of positive ways to dispel anger.
3. How would you handle an extremely angry teenager?
**
Les Christie has spent more than forty years in youth ministry, including more than twenty years in the same church. An energetic speaker, Les also chairs the youth ministry department at William Jessup University. He's the author of more than a dozen books and lives in California with his wife, Gretchen, where he no longer has to discipline his two grown sons, Brent and David.
Learn more about and purchase the book, "When Church Kids Go Bad" here:http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=431
*Save 30% off the retail price of "When Church Kids Go Bad" when you purchase it at the YS Store and use coupon code YPNOT1. This offer expires 10/15/08.
**
2. LINKS TO LEARN FROM
Music Review: "Paper Planes" by M.I.A.http://www.planetwisdom.com/music/reviews/mia_paperplanes.php
Revolution Health: Parenting Teens & Preteenshttp://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/parenting/teens-preteens/index
3. INSIDE YOUR TEEN'S WORLD...Random things you may not have heard about...
Bum Rap: The latest and perhaps most disturbing evolution of clothing with suggestive phrases on the backside, and what schools are doing about ithttp://www.newsweek.com/id/157223
The Secret Lives of Your Kids Onlinehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26747108/
4. LEARN THEIR LINGO...Some slang and texting lingo for you to speak (or at least understand)
- Tina = Slang for Crystal Meth. "I'm looking for Tina"
- Troop = n. a long walk or trip. "Taco Bell? That's a troop and a half."
5. A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT...AND HUMOR
"I believe in making the world safe for our children, but not our children's children, because I don't think children should be having sex." ~ Jack Handey
copyright 2008 :: Youth Specialties300 S. Pierce St. El Cajon, CA 92020 888.346.4179
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