(insert logo or text here) THEPARENTLINK December 2013 FOR PARENTS OF TEENS

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON THE VIEW The approaching holidays usually bring a mixed bag of emotions. Younger chil- dren are preparing their wish lists, while teenagers are often stressing about class-  American parents say they work and final exams. Meanwhile, many adults feel overwhelmed by their grow- spend an average of $271 per ing to-do lists. Amid the chaos, it’s easy to lose sight of the real meaning of the child on Christmas gifts. One in Christmas season: Jesus coming to earth to save us from our sins. 10 parents say they spend more than $500 per child. Despite the stress, the holidays offer the most focused family time that kids will experience all year. Although teenagers may feel as if they’ve outgrown some of  In a recent study, Generation your family’s traditions, realize that traditions can grow and change. Make Christ- Me author Jean Twenge found mas merry and meaningful in these ways: that today’s teenagers are more  Put less emphasis on materialism and receiving, and more emphasis on likely to want lots of money and servanthood and giving. nice things but less willing to  Schedule quiet times together and share your favorite holiday memories. work for them.  Spend time with older or younger relatives.  Take turns pairing up with different family members to complete holiday  Some research suggests the neg- preparations such as decorating and baking. ative effects of rampant materi-  Start new traditions; for example, fill stockings with notes of affirmation or alism can be tempered. Highly hold a white-elephant gift exchange. Most importantly, show teenagers that materialistic and highly thank- Christmas is all about Jesus, and help them experience joy in him. ful teens tend to say they like helping other people. Keep reading for more ideas—and have a blessed Christmas!

TIPS >>> PONDER THIS

Here are even more memorable  How have your feelings about Christmas traditions you can try with  Start a new meal tradition; for ex- Christmas changed throughout your family: ample, eat chili or tamales before the years?  Watch favorite holiday films to- attending worship on Christmas  What traditions would you like gether, or go to the movies on Eve. your family to keep, and what Christmas afternoon.  Attend a Christmas pageant or con- new traditions would you like  Bake one new kind of Christmas cert at a church you don’t normally to start? cookie every December. attend.  How can you help your kids  Prepare a meal or look into a tradi-  Drive around to look at lights and honor the true meaning of tion that honors your family’s eth- decorations in completely different Christmas this year? nic heritage. neighborhoods.  Live out an annual family version  Volunteer together at a food bank, of “The 12 Days of Christmas,” toy drive, or nursing home. giving someone unique variations  Keep a holiday memory journal or of the items. For example, five scrapbook, with each family mem- golden rings could be five glazed ber contributing thoughts, drawings, doughnuts. or photos. Review it together every  Go caroling, ice skating, sledding, year. or tubing.  Film an annual family Christmas greeting, and post it online.

WHAT I TREASURE Expert Insights for Parents of Teenagers By Brian Berry Youth minister Brian Berry offers the 16-hour return trip, I thanked God homecoming we’d anticipated. My some insights he recently learned for the escape and for all the kids asked “Why?” and I just won- about materialism. Use them to help blessings we enjoyed. And then I slow- dered “Who?” Over dinner a few you and your kids maintain perspec- ly began to feel the weight of work and nights later, we talked about how bro- tive this Christmas: normal life return. ken our world is and why whoever robbed us needs Jesus more than we Earlier this year, our family of seven As we pulled into the driveway at need our stuff back. was packed to the gills for a 16-day, 10:30 p.m., though, I quickly discov- 1,900-mile round trip from San Diego ered that life was anything but normal. I told my kids how much I loved them to the redwoods, rivers, and lakes of The first tip was a car missing from our and said that, while I don’t have all the Northern California. driveway. The next was seeing two answers, I do know this one thing with busted doors. After taking a quick tour greater certainty than ever before: Je- On this annual pilgrimage, we camped, of the house, we realized that was just sus was right. This world is filled with swam, fished, cooked, laughed, and the beginning. Jewelry, money, tools, stuff that moth and rust can destroy took lots of pictures. God answered our computers, and even my daughter’s and that thieves can break in and steal. prayers for safety and memory- new school shoes were gone. With the making, and we chalked up another stuff, the thieves took our family’s But there’s no comparison. I’m storing family vacation as a win. “normal.” my treasures in another world.

While I power-drove the state on That wasn’t exactly the type of —Group magazine RESOURCE

BIBLE FOCUS

This Holiday edition of the Live

curriculum series offers six weeks For to us a child is born, to us a son is giv- of powerful studies about various en, and the government will be on his people from the Christmas story. shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Families can learn more about the Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Christmas narrative and how it re- Prince of Peace. lates to their lives today. Isaiah 9:6, NIV

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

MAINSTREAM MUSIC CHRISTIAN MUSIC MOVIES

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Rating: Not yet rated; likely

PG-13 Synopsis: Burglar Bilbo Bag- gins and the band of dwarves continue their journey toward

the Lonely Mountain, where ONE DIRECTION they hope to take back their

treasure from terrible dragon Background: Mandisa got her Smaug. Background: This English-Irish pop start in the fifth season of Ameri- band exploded onto the charts after can Idol, where judge Simon Our Take: Director Peter getting their start on the British version Cowell made disparaging re- Jackson has stretched this sim- of The X Factor. “What Makes You marks about her weight. Since ple story into three movies—a Beautiful” is one of the best-selling then, she’s lost more than 100 clear money grab. But teenag- singles ever. Their sound is a mix of pounds. Mandisa’s new album, ers and kids love the film, and dance pop and electropop, and they’re about overcoming obstacles, de- Martin Freeman is charming as especially popular with girls. The buted at #1 on the Christian Bilbo. band’s new album, described as charts. “edgier,” broke Amazon’s record for Albums: Overcomer (2013), 47 Ronin the fastest-selling preorder—a record What If We Were Real (2011), Genre: Adventure, Fantasy previously held by 1D. Freedom (2009), True Beauty (2007) Rating: PG-13 Albums: Midnight Memories (2013), Take Me Home (2012), Up All Night What Mandisa Says: “Those Synopsis: 47 masterless samu- (2011) who believe that Jesus is Lord rai seek one man’s help to get are overcomers because Jesus is revenge on the warlord who threatens their land. What One Direction Says: Band an overcomer. In 1 John 4:4, it member Niall Horan says, “We’re try- says that the One who is in us is Our Take: The trailers fea- greater than the one who is in the ing to do something different from ture a mix of martial arts, su- world. So it really isn’t about what people would think is the typical pernatural creatures, and Bud- circumstances; it’s not about dhist imagery. So you might kind of boy band. We’re trying to do feeling like we’re an overcom- want to debrief afterward. different kinds of music, and we’re just er. We’re an overcomer because trying to be ourselves, not squeaky God says we are.” clean.” Explore: Hear Mandisa talk Explore: You can watch the video about her new album, Overcom- for “Best Song Ever,” a hit single from er, here: www.youtube.com/ their new album, here: watch?v=htIA7IE5dXI. www.youtube.com/watch? v=o_v9MY_FMcw.

VIDEO GAMES

Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus—This platformer is perfect for families. The game is fun. The writing is clever. And there’s nothing that you’ll worry about your kids seeing. (Rated E10; PS3)

Gran Turismo 6—This popular driving series pays an incredible amount of attention to detail. The game comes with 1,200 cars, and each one drives differently and realistically. (Rating pending, but probably E; PS3) DECEMBER 2013 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9:45am Epic 11:15am Fusion

Fusion Epic 6:30-8:30pm 6:30-8:30pm 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Second Sun- day Breakfast 9:45am Epic Epic Student 11:15am Fusion Leadership Meeting Fusion Student 5:15-6:30pm Leadership Meeting Fusion Epic 12:30-2:00pm 6:30-8:30pm 6:30-8:30pm 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 9:45am Epic 11:15am Fusion

Fusion Epic Christmas Party Christmas Party 6:30-8:30pm 6:30-8:30pm 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 9:45am Epic 11:15am Fusion Christmas Eve Christmas Day

NO Fusion NO Epic 29 30 31 No Epic No Fusion New Year’s Eve

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