Day 26: Parenting All-round Teenagers in the Gen Z era

All generations, from boomers to zoomers, have produced and will continue to produce teenagers, but all-around teens are in great demand. Generations come and go, but juvenile delinquency transcends each one; this makes parenting a hard nut to crack.

Gen Z is characterised by several positive traits, like a high intelligence quotient, exceptional brilliance, and aptitude with ICT. These, along with several other soft talents and bits of intelligence, should be welcomed and developed. Conversely, it appears that Gen Z may be the generation that disregards their mother’s blessings while criticising their father, according to Proverbs 30:10–14. Some people in this generation are haughty and think they are better than the rest. Their impression is false in actuality.

At different phases of their development, teenagers are fascinated by the happenings all around them. They sometimes become overtly self-conscious; distractions often diverge their focus and deflect their desires, blurring their vision. They may also wane in their academics, family life, and intra-personal and inter-personal relationships; this calls for wisdom on the part of parents. It’s crucial to acknowledge that a child’s environment may have some influence on whether or not they will adhere to their parents’ teachings and instructions. A well-trained youngster actually thrives more easily in a supportive environment than in a harsh or toxic one. However, a challenging environment will only highlight the best traits of a teenager who has been properly raised or disciplined. There are variations among youngsters in the same way there are in soil biology. Some have stony hearts, and some have hearts like flesh. To be an effective parent, one must be willing to demonstrate proper behaviour to children and, at the same time, be accessible. Study your teenager to understand his or her peculiar needs, then train and discipline using appropriate techniques based on their temperamental tendencies, following the word of God. Findings show that when children age, they return to the right path and precepts, even if they don’t necessarily pursue it now. Thus, parents who desire to turn out well-rounded teenagers must be resilient and not give up easily.

The son of King Solomon chose to heed the advice of his Gen Z colleagues, and he paid a heavy price for it by watching as his kingdom divided irreversibly. It was a colossal loss. All advice given by grown-ups or colleagues should be carefully considered in light of God’s will. Growing up in the fear of God is central to raising godly youngsters, and parents are the best people to teach their children to fear God, followed by other outside educators.

We believe parents should labour to see Christ formed in their children, which is the hallmark of parenting for Christians. Until this is done, there is no hope of glory because what the world calls glory is not real glory. Whereas the world’s glory is full of lust and pride, titles, accolades, material wealth and positions, the glory of God is characterised by the love of Christ, shed abroad in our hearts.

Apart from instilling Christ in their hearts, parents ought to make sure that this generation of youth is taught to work hard, have a teachable heart, and demonstrate aptitude for learning, be it science or the arts, and that early in life. They should also be tech-savvy and, most importantly, show God’s love wherever they live.

In conclusion, the objective of being an all-around teenager necessitates the willingness and resilience of both parents and teenagers. Achieving this aim requires putting all of your attention in the proper places. An all-around youngster will be shaped by a suitable upbringing and discipleship under the fear of God. However, parents need to set a good example for their children if they want to raise well-rounded teenagers. 

Engr Femi and Dr Tosin Olorunmoteni

There is an urgent need for the church to be deliberate in returning to the old ways when some of the best scientists, innovators and world leaders in economy, politics and even the entertainment industries emanated from among us. The boundless energy of the teen years is always the crucial stage. So, our teenagers must be built to pursue excellence in all walks of life that they may find themselves in, be team players and build good human relations.

© Selah Series 2024