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Parenting Your Emerging Adult

8 Aug

Equipping yourself for each stage of your child’s development is important.  At each stage, you must pick up a few new tools.  Emerging adulthood is the life phase following adolescents (approximately 18-28 years old).  For a full description, read this!

Here is a podcast by Steven Argue, who is an expert on emerging adulthood and faith.  He is also the parent of three emerging adults.

Click Here for the Podcast!

If you work regularly with Emerging Adults, connect with Steve and many others through joining the EA Network on Facebook.

Steve joined the Fuller Theological Seminary faculty in June 2015 in a hybrid role as assistant professor of youth, family, and culture and as an applied research strategist with the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI). He is a thought leader and researcher with decades of on-the-ground ministry experience.

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Questions to Ask before they leave for College

7 Aug

Fall is upon us, and student will soon be packing their bags and leaving for college.  If your child is leaving, Kara Powell from the Fuller Youth Institute released this article about preparing your child for college.  Dr. Kara Powell is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary.

When our oldest started high school, multiple older parents told me that high school would fly by. I didn’t believe them, but now that Nathan is diving into eleventh grade, I’ve jumped on the “high school goes so fast” bandwagon.

Here is the full article! 

Pass it along to someone you know is dropping off a student this fall.

If you work with emerging adults, please join Kara and other members of the Fuller Youth Institute as members of the EA Network – a networking site on Facebook.

Other resources:

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Becoming a Man – Taking time to Laugh

29 Jul

I am a fan of the show The Middle for many reasons.  Being a man in today’s world doesn’t happen by accident [What is a Man?].  It doesn’t happen by simply getting older.  As a father of three future men, this clip reminds me how I need to walk with my children as they mature into men.

While the journey may sometimes be frustrating, it can also be humorous.

Watch this clip as a reminder to take time to laugh while training your children.

Here is a clip from The Middle, from an episode called “the Smell.”

Brick and Deodorant

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Leveraging Milestones – Rites of Passage within a Faith Community

11 Jul

Fuller Youth Institute released this article, and I wanted to share because it deals with rites of passage in a faith community.  The article is mislabeled as most of the content deals with addressing milestones and spirituality within a church or spiritual community.

Leveraging Milestones: Making Spiritual Conversations Normal At Home

I believe that the article does a great job of pointing out spiritual milestones or rites of passages for children as they grow into adults.

Here is the article.

My Highlights include:

  • Whether rites of passage or milestones, church communities have unique opportunities to intersect families at these various points and equip them to normalize spiritual conversations within their home life.
  • Our desire is for spiritual conversations in the family ecofriendly-minivan to be as normal as the conversations about basketball or the latest Disney hit.
  • Chart of Rites of Passages and Questions that they answer.

If you are new to the discussion of rites of passages in faith development, here are some additional resources.

What milestones does your faith community acknowledge and celebrate?

How do you communicate the definition and transition into manhood to your children, adolescents, and emerging adults?

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Hatred for that Cat in the Cradle.

13 Jun

I listen to various types of music – disco, Motown, classic rock, and current tunes.  There are very few classic songs that I do not love.

However, there is one song that I have hated my entire life.  A song that makes my skin crawl.  A song that will always make me change the radio station.  “Cat’s in the Cradle” is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album Verities & Balderdash. 

The song is too depressing, and I still hate it.  Apparently my children feel the same way, because they now throw a fit anytime they hear it.

the middle - cat and cradle

The song was highlighted in an episode of the Middle.

Here is the original scene.  I am a fan of the Middle – Here is a post that I dedicated to the show.   The Middle will give parents an outside perspective of the issues facing emerging adults – with ALOT of laughter.

The second video definitely lightens the mood.  Here is the video.

While in the midst of raising your children, remember that like other life stages – emerging adulthood has its trials and blessings.

Whether you love or hate that song,

Remember to minimize the trials, and focus on the blessings. 

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Gifts for Father’s Day

2 May

Do you have trouble buying something for that special man in your life?

  • Does he seem to have everything that he needs?
  • If you ask him what he wants, does he stare as if you are speaking a foreign language?
  • If you pick it out, does it lay in the closet, or get returned?
  • Are you tired of buying tools and duct tape?

Here are some ideas to help you make this Father’s Day Amazing.

1.  Personalized Gifts – Rather than run to Walmart the day before – a gift that is unique to your family member is always a win whether it is a keychain or ring.  Here is a company that I would recommend for a personalized gift.  Or consider a personalized sign – from here.The Madison

2.  Create a moment.  A gift that would create a memory with the family, or relive a memory from their past.  What does the man in your life love to do, and how could you give him a  reason to do something he loves?  Maybe it is a trip to the shooting range for your hunter, or scheduling a Star Wars marathon party for that Nerd that you love.  What is unique to them which could create a memory? 

3.  Reflect on Love.  Take a moment to reflect individually or together on an aspect of your relationship.  This could be through a well-written card, or a walk around the block.  Some men love the public praise given on social media like Facebook or a Tweet, while others prefer a private expression of love.  As a father of three active boys, it is truly a gift when my wife works with them to plan a meaningful expression of love.    

picture with boys4.  Celebrate his Fatherhood.  A gift that helps the man of your life focus on the laughter and love he has with his children.  Children can be stressful, and sometimes dads need some assistance in planning times of relaxation and fun with their kids. Each dad is different, so whether it is throwing a ball with your son, or building a Lego set – what is something that celebrates his particular strengths as a father.

Becoming a good gift giver does take some work including reflecting on the person receiving the gift and discerning what would bring them joy. 

Dr. G. David Boyd is the Managing Director of EA Resources.  He is the father of three boys, and a beautiful wife.

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Drew Dyck on Depression and Anxiety

18 Apr

Drew Dyck is an acquisitions editor at Moody Publishers and a senior editor at CTPastors.com.  Drew Dyck is the author of Generation Ex-Christian (of which I am a fan).  In this article, Drew writes about his journey through anxiety and depression.

I have had my own struggle with depression – due to PTCD (Post-Traumatic Church Disorder).  So I know the destruction it can bring.  I hope this article will be an encouragement to you.

Three months ago I took my last antidepressant.

Well, it was more like a sliver of an antidepressant, a pink little tab cracked off from a larger one. I had been weaning off Paroxetine (the generic form of Paxil) for a month, taking increasingly small doses—25mg, 20mg, 15mg, 10mg …

Here is the rest of the article.

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