Talking to a Teen

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By Dr James Dobson

There are some teenagers who sail right through the adolescent experience with hardly any evidence of turbulence at all.

They make wonderful grades in school, they're a delight to their teachers, and a treasure to their parents.

There are, however, others who seem to declare war on the world, and they stay mad at every adult for about 10 years.

Mark Twain was referring to this second kind of child when he wrote: "When a child turns 13, you should put him in a barrel, nail a lid down on it, and feed him through a knot hole. And when he turns 16, you should seal up the knot hole."

There are times when parents feel that way, to be sure. Well, what are you going to do if your sweet, cuddly, cooperative son or daughter turns into a sullen, silent teenager? The answer is: You go on loving him or her.

There's so much going on inside that youngster, hormonally and emotionally, that explains what you see on the outside. But better days are coming. The smile, and a rich, full vocabulary will return. I promise.

From TODAY, Voices – Wednesday, 22-Jul-2009

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• Keep away from small people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. (quotationsbook.com)