The Secret to Surviving the Teenage Years

     The teenage years can be hard. I know. I'm in the middle of it with you. I know teenagers. I am one. I have one for a brother.

     But I see some teens having a harder time of it because they are rejecting the most important tool to help them survive. It's like they're in a desert with a backpack full of flashlights, rope, clean clothes, matches, and blankets, but they're not using their water bottle or food!

     As we all know, we wouldn't last long in a desert under those circumstances. So let's use our resources! What is the water and food in the analogy above?

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     Your parents!

     Shocking, I know. Most middle and high schoolers have either figured this out or just threw their phone across the room because they didn't want to hear it. Deep down, we all know it's true.

     My parents are my sounding board. They're my encouragement and my shoulder to cry on. I'm close with both of them, even if I'm a little more likely to go to Mom with certain problems.

     If you're not close with your parents, I strongly encourage you to start fostering that relationship. If you come from a broken home or rarely see one of your parents, an older cousin or sibling may be filling this role for you. The point is, they are older, wiser, and have our best interests at heart.

     Tomorrow I'll share how you can strengthen your most important tool. (It'll be like purifying the water and dusting your food with multivitamins and protein powder. You like this analogy? I think it's a keeper!)

     See ya then!

~Madeline