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One afternoon, years ago, while I was driving home with my kids, we saw a home less woman standing on the curb. She was talking to herself and gesturing. My children noticed her and wanted to know what she was doing there. Not one to shy away from the truth, I explained to them that she was probably homeless. Their immediate reaction was to take her with us - to give her a home. The innocence of that remark taught me that a child's perspective could often boil down even the most complicated issues to simple and powerful truths.
What we did do was sit down as a family to discuss what we could do to help the homeless. My children are not alone in their benevolence. There are many several outstanding teenagers who, having a natural sense of curiosity and goodness, are involved in programs that improve their communities.
However, from the high school shootings and violence on our streets, we are faced with the hard truth that too many teens still need our help. And they feel it too. It's not necessarily spoken, just understood. In the same way that they feel it is better to have rules to break than to have no rules at all.
One of the ways we can stay connected is by sharing an experience that gives both parents and children the opportunity to learn and grow together. Of course, you don't have to run a marathon or climb a mountain to become closer with your kids. You can join a book club, learn a new sport or take up a new hobby together. These important moments give parents and children a deeper understanding of each other and create powerful bonds that last forever.
But most important, we need to listen to our teens more - at home, in the car or wherever they choose to talk about what is going on in their lives. By being aware of what our teens are dealing with, we can guide them through the challenging years of adolescence today and help them become the successful parents and leaders of tomorrow.
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