Ambivalent? Well, Yes and No.

This is a good article on youth ministry from Granger Community Church.

Teenagers. They want to be different. But still fit in. They want to be free. But still feel secure. They want what everyone else has. And what no one else has. They want privileges. But not responsibilities. They want us to butt out. But they need us to be there. And as frazzled as they make us feel, they ultimately want the same things we want. To belong. To be loved. To be special. Unique. Significant.

True, it’s tempting to review the music teens listen to (yikes!), the way they drive (too fast), and pants we’ve not seen ride so low since the plumber’s last visit. But it’s more constructive to try to understand the stresses they face – and consider where that stress can lead if we adults don’t provide the support they need.

So, how do we help teens handle stress in healthy ways? “The most important tool is a support system,” says About.com’s Cathleen Henning. One that includes not just peers but also adults who are easy to talk to and sympathetic to teenage issues. Read More.