Water Your Teens With Encouragements!

When my teenager leaves for school at the early 7:30 a. m. hour and flies out the door, with a quick, “See ya later Mom!”. “Later”, can turn out to be 10 to 12 hours later... Communication is high on my list of importance and so it is vital to me to make that communication that I have with my impressionable and sometime awkward teen a priority. Long days like these are the norm for some kids who are in school and have a part time job or are involved in school extracurricular activities. Luckily, these long days are not an every day occurrence for our family, but just a couple long days like these a row make it that much more important to be a part of what your teen is involved in. Knowing who, what and where are just part of a parent's job of staying involved. The Bible tells us we should “Encourage each other.” Hebrews 10:25.

A quote that I really like, “A child needs encouragement like a plant needs water.” by Rudolph Dreikurs, reminds us encouraging each other is a daily task, and the growth and maturing of a young mind is a beautiful thing to behold. That is why at our house, we text each other throughout our day, (when appropriate). It keeps us connected with each other. With that in mind, here are some examples of encouragements through texting...

• Get your “Shine On”!
• You are the son/daughter of the King!
• ASAP-Always Say A Prayer
• Jesus loves you and so do I!
• You are an original!
• Always be kind!
• Share Your Joy!

Never be too busy to send a warm encouragement to someone. It really takes so little time and can be just what someone needs to hear in this big scary busy awkward world we live in. It keeps us connected by carrying those words with us, (in our hearts) especially kids! “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11. So, water those teens with encouragements and watch them bloom! 
Encourage Someone Today!