PARENTING TEENS: NURTURING VALUES IN A CHANGING WORLD

Parenting Teens: Nurturing Values in a Changing World

All parents can provide for their teenagers, but not all are equipped to guide them effectively. Many parents default to training teens through the lens of their own upbringing, prioritizing rigid discipline over empathetic understanding.  

In a past video, I referenced Ephesians 6:4, where Scripture urges parents not to provoke their children to anger. Yet, religious leaders often emphasize Ephesians 6:2-3 (honoring parents) while neglecting the wisdom of verse 4. Teenagers, with their emotionally charged perspectives, rarely seek to understand their parents—they yearn to be understood. This disconnect fuels conflict: parents may assert physical or spiritual authority, while teens interpret this as an attack on their autonomy. What parents label disobedience, teens often see as defending their identity.  

Most teens crave validation in their choices—appearance, language, friendships, and self-expression. They desire support, not control. The challenge for parents lies in instilling moral, spiritual, and Godly values in a world that relentlessly competes for their teens’ attention. A harsh truth many parents avoid? They may know what their teens are doing today but remain oblivious to what they’ve already done Teens often conceal their struggles through coded language or subtle signs—clues invisible to parents who aren’t intentionally engaged in their world.  

Step Approach to Connection

1.  Build trust by becoming their safe space. Listen without judgment, and communicate with empathy, emphasizing love over authority.

2.  Gen Z is not a carbon copy of 60s/70s generations. Introduce values through their passions—music, fashion, sports, or social media. Help them recognize God’s presence in the spaces they inhabit.  

3 For example, must jeans be banned from formal events? Explain the why behind traditions (e.g., suits symbolizing respect) while acknowledging their need for self-expression. Balance cultural norms with grace.  

4.  As an 80s-born parent, I’ve seen 2000s-born teens labeled “uncultured.” Yet every generation faces this critique. Understand your upbringing, but study *theirs*—their pressures, digital realities, and evolving definitions of respect.  

5.  Proactive conversations about societal pressures, sex, fraud, and boundaries are vital. Equip them with wisdom, but respect their emotions—dismissiveness breeds rebellion.  

Final Reflection Parenting teens isn’t about control; it’s about guiding them to own their values in a complex world. Meet them where they are, and they’ll learn to honor where they’ve come from.  

Until the moment when will shall dance in white Greater Grace.

OYUGBO JONAH OSAGIE