Playing in the Devil’s Playground
“An idle mind is the devil’s playground.” We’ve all heard this cliché but will you allow your teen to play with the devil this summer?
School is out for the summer. What will your teens be doing?
The lyrics to this 1972 song "Schools out for the summer" by Alice Cooper were a hit when it was released.
School’s out for the summer …
“Well, we got no class.
And we got no principles
And we got no innocence …
School's out for summer”
I can attest that these lyrics still ring true today.
Summer can be an exciting and fun time for teenagers but it could also be life altering. When your child has nothing better to do with their time than watch a box or play yet another gaming device it should not surprise you that teens usually like to seize these unsupervised opportunities to explore “life.”
| “A little extra time now could save you years of sadness later.” |
Think about it … numerous teens in one neighborhood all home alone with nothing to do. What would you be doing with that much-unadulterated freedom?
Just because your teen is old enough not to burn down the house (hopefully) does not mean he is responsible enough to always make wise decisions.
Research has shown that the portion of the brain that regulates risk-taking does not fully develop until a person is 25 years old. That is why teens are four times more likely to get in to a car accident than adults.
Give your teens structure this summer. They are less likely to get into trouble if they are occupied. I am not suggesting a total lock down, one that would leave no room for your child to breathe, but I am suggesting getting a little more involved if at all possible this summer.
Here are a few ideas:
Travel
- Camping trips or any trips for that matter are great ways to keep your teen busy for the summer. And you all get a bonus out of that deal-- life long memories.
Work
- A summer job could be fun; it could build character and line their pockets with a little cash, which would teach responsibility. You can’t lose.
Volunteer
- Volunteers are always needed within both secular and religious organizations. Try Habitat for Humanities or short-term missions trips. Maybe they can volunteer at your church.
Camp
- Know your teenager. If your teen loves to draw give him a couple of weeks at an art camp. If you do a search I’m sure you’ll find camps in or near your town.
Share
- If you can’t afford to send your child to a camp try sharing responsibilities with another parent. Maybe they can keep an eye on your teen during the week and you can do the same for them on the weekends.
Your teen deserves more freedom than a little child but this is not the time to let your teen do whatever they want to do. Now that your teen is able to make decisions this is the time to help them make good decisions no matter how much they fight you on.
A little extra time now could save you years of sadness later.
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