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Understanding Today’s Youth. What Do Teenagers Want ?. Love Acceptance Listening Ears Reminding that they are normal Understanding Fun. Acceptance Affirmation Encouragement A Listening Ear Understanding Prayer Reminding they are “normal” Help with their parents.
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What Do Teenagers Want? • Love • Acceptance • Listening Ears • Reminding that they are normal • Understanding • Fun
Acceptance Affirmation Encouragement A Listening Ear Understanding Prayer Reminding they are “normal” Help with their parents Challenges and Responsibilities Faith in action Someone other than their parents to hold them accountable Relevancy of faith to life Programs to help them develop as total persons (Luke 2:52) What Do Teenagers NEED?
Six Basic Needs of Teenagers(The Gallup Poll, George Gallup, Inc.) • To believe life is meaningful and has a purpose. • A sense of community and deeper relationships. • To be appreciated and loved. • To be listened to—and be heard ! • To feel one is actually growing in their faith. • For practical help in developing a mature faith that helps them to impact their world.
What are some of the basic youth developmental characteristics?
Youth Developmental Characteristics (from Merton Strommen’s “Five Cries of Youth”) • Achievement—the satisfaction of arriving at excellence in some area of endeavor. • Friends—the broadening of one’s social base by having learned to make friends and maintain them. • Feelings—the self-understanding gained through having learned to share one’s feelings with another person. • Identity—the sense of knowing “who I am!” • Responsibility—the confidence of knowing “I can stand alone and make responsible decisions. • Maturity—transformation from child into adult. • Sexuality—acceptance of responsibility for one’s new role as a sexual being.
What are some of the predictable changes during the teenage years?
Physical Changes(From “Connected Committed and a Little Bit Crazy” ,Convention Press, 1996) • Dramatic changes in physical attributes including height, weight, voice and coordination abilities due to hormonal surges in early adolescence. • Short attention spans. • Strong appetites. • Other?
Emotional Changes • Developing sense of self-image and self-esteem. • Egocentric and selfish. • Dependent on parents but there is a growing desire for independence. • Over-critical and can have unrealistic expectations. • Moody relationships with others.
Social Changes • Peer acceptance is crucial. • Will only have a few close friendships. • Interest in the opposite sex begins to grow. • Comfortable in small groups with a few close friends of the same sex. • Begins to experiment with acceptable behaviors and test limits.
Intellectual Changes • Requires proof…is less willing to accept others’ beliefs (especially from parents). • Begins to think “abstractly”. • Enjoys problem solving via alternatives and consequences. • Able to make decisions based on their personal values. • Idealistic and optimistic.
Spiritual Changes • Receptive to making a decision about their relationship with Christ. • Able to make genuine commitments. • Developing a more sensitive view of right and wrong. • Mirrors parents’ view initially. • Begins to develop personal values. • Responds to the needs of others and is aware of social issues.
What are some of the major decisions teenagers will face during these turbulent years?
Drinking Church attendance Shoplifting Pre-marital sex Where to work Smoking Use of drugs Whom to date Dating standards Friendships Cheating College selection Vocational direction Others? Major Decisions Include…
What are some of the things that cause stress in the life of a teenager?
Death in the family Injury or illness Moving Change in family situation Tests Lack of friends Homework Dating Competitive sports Grades Work/job Things that cause stress are… Can you think of any other causes of stress in the life of teenagers?
School teachers Adult friends Youth minister Sports stars Sunday school teachers Parents Peers Coach Guidance counselor TV stars Music stars People Teenagers Listen To… Who else can you think of that teenagers listen to in their world today?
Remember: “Belonging” to a community is vitally important to the emerging teenager. As Merton Strommen states, “our job is the ‘ministry of fellowship.’ ” Thus, personal relationships are the key. So…the I ask you…”What does this say to you as PARENTS and as a CHURCH community of faith?”
As teenagers mature, they become less “self-centered” and are able to look beyond themselves…and they begin to develop more mature relationships.This ability will be greatest during grades 11-12. It’s at this stage that “discipleship” can have it’s greatest impact in their lives.
Now let’s look at the specific developmental needs of each age grouping…and look at some suggestions for programming ideas targeted to each group.
Substance Abuse Issues Self-Esteem/Self-Image Issues Peer Pressure Peer Influence Parent-Teen Relationships Conflict Resolution Suicide Drugs/Alcohol Mass Media Influence and Discernment Family Instability Dealing with Doubts and Ambiguity Junior High Developmental Needs Can you think of some other needs and/or issues facing this age of teenager?
Lock-in’s Retreats One-day outings Bicycle trips Hiking trips Overnight camping trips Socials Police department Hospital Cemetery Homeless shelter Soup kitchen Prision AA Meeting Others? Junior High Programming Ideas What do you see as a common thread with most of these suggestions?
Socialization and Relational Skills Dating skills Money management Understanding of sexuality issues Communication skills Vocational guidance Conflict resolution Values clarification Leadership skills Parental conflict issues Self-discipline Marriage concerns SAT assistance Peer pressure issues Drugs/Alcohol issues Others? Senior High Developmental Needs