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Key Bible Verse: Don't be misled. … You will always reap what you sow! (Galatians 6:7). Bonus Reading: Proverbs 29:15

The real world operates on natural consequen-ces. But most parents try to correct a teen's behavior by dispensing unrelated punishments. These only serve to create friction.

For example, if your son gets a speeding ticket and you ground him for a week, he can see no natural correlation between his behavior and the consequence. In the real world, however, people have to pay large fines and even larger car insurance premiums, and eventually they lose their licenses.

Far better to say to Speedy Gonzales, "You now have a fine to pay and our insurance rates are also likely to go up significantly. If so, besides paying the fine, you'll have to pay the difference on the insurance premium if you want to remain on our insurance policy so you can continue to drive."

If your daughter misses a deadline for signing up for basketball and is told she can't participate in the sport for the entire season, it might seem easier for you to talk to the athletic director and try to get an exception made than to see your daughter miss an opportunity. But does it really help her in the long run—especially if procrastination has been an ongoing problem for her?

—Scott Larson in When Teens Stray

My Response: To parent for the long haul I need to …

Thought to Apply: What causes adolescents to rebel is not the assertion of authority but the arbitrary use of power. —Laurence Steinberg & Ann Levine (authors)

Adapted from When Teens Stray (Servant, 2002) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Heavenly Father, give me the wisdom and resolve to father my teens for their long-term benefit.

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