Good News About Gen Z
Worth Your Time!
Resource Recommendations to Help You Parent and Mentor Most Effectively
This Week’s Recommendation:
"3 Ways to Help Today's Youth Stay Optimistic, Curious, and Engaged"
Article by Ashley Ekmay, A Research Specialist with the Barna Group
Read It Here
"Trusted adults and a strong support system matter deeply in the formation of secure, hopeful, curious kids."
Why It's Worth Your Time
Barna surveyed almost 25,000 teens from around the world (including over 2000 from the United States and Canada), and their research shows what thriving teens have in common. And we all want the teens we know to thrive, don't we? :)
How To Use It
This study and many others consistently show that teens are much more likely to thrive long-term (including spiritually) when they have a strong sense of community with both peers and adults.
Ask teens what their "community" looks like. How many people does it include? Is it mostly online? Is everyone close to their own age? How many intergenerational relationships do they have?
Sometimes I'll ask Christian school students, "Other than family and 'the professionals' (teachers, coaches, youth pastors, etc.), how many adults do you feel like know you (know your name, know something about you, know what your interests are, etc.) and invest in your life in some way?" The most common answer I get? "Zero." Ask the teens you know how they would answer that question.
Consider how you can help teens develop stronger community. How can other members of your church be part of that? If we want teens to thrive, we must make in-person relationships a PRIORITY.
Engage in spiritual conversations.
Teens are generally interested and open to talking about spiritual topics, especially with adults they know and trust. Remember to ask questions and to listen more than talk. "What do you think?" "How did you come to that conclusion?" "Can I share something with you that helped me when I was your age?"
Model a healthy spiritual life for the teens in your life. If godly friendships/relationships, church, Bible reading, etc. are important to you, they're much more likely to be important to them.
Read the Article Here