Posted in Encouragement

I came across this the other day and thought it was so good that I printed it out and had my two teenage sons read it . . . and then I posted it on the refrigerator.

My Five Tips for Teens

By Tyler Hogan

  1. Cultivate great relationships with your parents and siblings. Be a mentor and role-model for your younger siblings. If you’re fresh out of little brothers and sisters, find some. I seem to have a plethora of younger guys ages 2 to 13 who tag along after me. Younger kids look up to older kids, whether they admit it or not.

  2. Discover your gifts, talents, and interests and then throw yourself into them. Put some effort into your hobbies. Extra-curricular activities, clubs, and ministry teams are great ways to develop and use your gifts. Ministry teams can be especially rewarding.

  3. Don’t neglect your time with God. Take every opportunity to grow spiritually—don’t shy away from challenges. Get a devotional program and use it.

  4. Don’t stress out over little things. This is one of my biggest failures. Instead, take your time, enjoy yourself, and focus on the important things. Along that line, don’t obsess over your GPA. Learning is more than knowing all the answers. For a long time my identity was wrapped up in being a walking encyclopedia. Certainly, schoolwork is important, and there’s nothing wrong with me trying to shine academically, but I have to remember I’m not defined by my test scores.

  5. Get a God-sized vision for your life. Education isn’t an end in and of itself; it’s the means to fulfilling your life’s purpose. Talk to God, your parents, and your mentors about where you’re going.

Homeschooling is great—especially if you maximize its potential. You only have so many years at home. (There I go sounding old again…) Savor them. Enjoy them. Use them.