Well, it's never too late! Take the time to just talk to your teenager. You can never be too busy. Jesus is always our perfect example. He was never too busy to talk to people. He always made time because He knows the importance of intentional conversations. He listened to the cares of people. He gave them good counsel.
One example of Jesus making time for someone is the account of meeting Nicodemus at night. Jesus might have been tired from a long day of ministry. He could have told Nicodemus to wait until the morning. He could have just ignored him, but He didn't. Jesus took the time to talk to Nicodemus, and his life was forever changed. Take the example of Jesus and take the time to talk to your teen.
But what if your teen doesn't want to talk? Sometimes you ask a question about their day, and they don't feel like talking. What should you do? Give up? Never!
To take time to talk, you have to pay close attention. Listen and look for clues. What are their facial expressions? What mood are they in? Do they have a question about something? Sometimes your teen will ask a question hoping to hear your opinion. Never be too busy. You just may miss a great opportunity to grow your relationship with your teen.
But if you find it hard to talk to your teen, try a different strategy. Get involved in their world. Find out what interests them. Learn about their hobbies. Watch their behavior and look for the times when they are happy. When you find them, ask: What made them happy? What do they enjoy doing? Get into their world.
Getting into their world may mean you playing one of their favorite board games. Or watching their favorite sports team with them. Or taking a class together. Maybe even going shopping together. Showing your teen you really care about their world and interests will help with starting conversations.
And if you find yourself correcting your teen more than you would like, once again, try a different strategy. Look for opportunities to just encourage them. Tell them they did a good job on a paper at school. Are they faithful at showing up for their team practice? Praise them for it. If you look for opportunities to praise and build up your teen, you will find them.
Your teen may not admit it, but they value you as their parent. They need and want to hear your advice about things in their life. Take advantage of the time you have with your teenager.
Taking time to talk to your teen may be a slow process. You may only get one-word answers in the beginning. But don't give up. Keep trying. Trust God and know He is able to grow your relationship with your teen.
Be encouraged by God's truth found in Galatians 6:9 — "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
