Keeping up with the GIRLS

 I thank God for sending me pillars of strength and wisdom in the form of my spiritual mentors throughout my teen years until now. Women who served as Jesus in the flesh to me and poured God's love into me. Who walked beside me and prayed for me and loved me in spite of my flaws. Over the years I figured that they were blessing me with their time and lives with the hope that I would learn to be a blessing and help to pull up another girl one day...

  I sat with the girls with my eyes wide open. It was one of those moments where every word spoken pierced straight into my heart. You would never know from the outside. In fact with teens, you would never know anything these days unless they let you in on the "secrets and the codes" themselves, otherwise your discussions will always go down a rabbit trail. Teens live in a world where everything is  coated and many times it's hard to be authentic. But since many of us would love to come along side them and help without pushing them away or being shut out, I took the time during my discussions with the girls to find out some of the felt needs that teenagers have and their advice on  things that teens in general wish their parents or mentors would know and understand...

 We all need someone to listen to us. To really listen and understand. 

Accept us for who we are. 

Correct us but don't condemn us.

 Be a safe place for us to share how we feel and to help us navigate how we feel.

 Someone to tell us often and regularly that we are remarkable would be nice.

Some one to believe in us especially when we are trying our best but continues to fail.

Make room for mistakes and allow us to learn from them. 

Fashion and social media just becomes more interesting then reading sometimes

 Respect our privacy. 

We'll always be open to talk to someone we have learned to trust/ always available.

We can not live up to perfection some times we need to see your flaws to relate well.

        Laughter and times just to have fun are important.
         We mainly learn by example so be a good example...always watching.
       Friends are important and they become family.

Though we may complain about it we need and want boundaries and responsibilities.

 Mom to be Mom and not try to be our peer.

Need dad's unconditional love and complements

Faith lived out daily not a faith that is only seen on Sunday.

Please don't GIVE UP on us.

It was an enlightening moment for me. I couldn't help it but to become a student immediately, pen and paper, I learned; learn the facts before you assume and understand why before you judge and teach.