“Puppy love is very real to the puppy!”
Ever heard this quote before? My youth pastor said this once and I’ve never forgot it.
Meaning: the experiences and problems in our lives our very real to us in the moment.
To a first-time middle school student, the start of a school year might seem daunting:
- new routine
- new teachers
- new social expectations
- new place to sit in the cafeteria
- mastering locker combinations
These problems are very REAL problems! To a student’s parents they might pale in comparison to pressure to raising a family, paying a mortgage, juggling work, free time and family time, etc.
The temptation for a lot of us adults when confronting the “drama” that our teenagers and children are involved in is to down play it. And while it is sound “adult” advice, it doesn’t help the student. Their problems are very REAL and IMPORTANT problems! As parents we need to step into their shoes (I know it’s difficult to remember back to middle school, elementary years, or the terrible 2’s!) and help them navigate these very REAL problems with perspective and care.
So the next time your daughter is involved in some sort of drama on Facebook, or your son is talking about problems in his homeroom with this one boy… take a moment, step out of your world into theirs, and ask some questions and give some thoughts… you’ll be amazed at the outcome!
