devotion

In my opinion, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are the best candy in the world. To me, opening a bag of them is literally one of the best things in life! I remember one day I had bought a brand new bag of Reeses and before I could eat them I had to run a quick errand. When I was done with the errand, I went to stick my hand in the bag to start eating them. At that moment, I was faced with the horrible realization that my bag of peanut butter cups had melted together into one nasty giant mess of peanut butter, chocolate and wrapper in my hot car. That was not a good day!

Sometimes dealing with your parents can seem a little like that melted mangled bag of peanut butter cups. It can seem like a sticky, oozy gooey disgusting mess of emotions and frustration inside you. As a teenager, it can be hard dealing with your parents at times. You might feel like they are out of touch with reality. Perhaps you feel that they don’t understand you or that the rules they ask you to follow are absurd and taking all your fun away.

If you feel this way, we’ve got a few tips to help you deal with your parents more successfully.

1. You will not always agree with your parent’s decisions – You have a different viewpoint than your parents do. That being said, you will not always agree with all decisions that they make. When you disagree, its important to not throw a fit, scream, pout or cry. Instead, show maturity by talking to them about your viewpoint like an adult. If they still don’t come around and see things from your perspective, decide to have a good attitude anyway. In life, you will not always get your way, so decide to be happy regardless.
2. You should respect your parents – This probably sounds like a curse word, but its true nonetheless. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:1 – “Obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.” (NLT)
   You don’t have to be best friends with your parents, but you are required to honor and obey them. This means you shouldn’t be bad mouthing them, or disrespecting them. Instead, even when you don’t agree with them choose to respect them. This will set you up for success throughout your life.

Dealing with your parents can be hard at times. It can seem like they don’t get you or understand you. The main thing to remember is that no matter how hard it gets, God asks us to honor and respect our parents. That doesn’t mean when they do things we like, but also when they drive us crazy. Make the decision to respect your parents regardless of how you feel about them.