TOP 10 THINGS ADULTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUTH

1) Teens are people, too. Resist calling them "kids" (unless you mean it as a term of endearment) or speaking about them as if they aren't in the room.
2) Teens need time. Particularly during discussions, teens need a little time to think about what they want to say.
3) Teens like adults. Despite what you may remember from your younger days, teens do enjoy the companionship of adults. Many are at a point in their lives when they are trying to put a little independent distance between themselves and their parents, so they are seeking other caring adults to serve as mentors and role models.
4) Teens have a lot to teach us. In many ways, "The Breakfast Club" got it right. Young people are unique individuals with unique talents, gifts, attitudes, and perspectives. It would be a mistake to lump them all together as one homogenous group.5) Teens' body clocks are different from ours. Most teens need 8-10 hours of sleep a night and get much less. Additionally, most teens are not at their peak until late morning and many are "night owls."
6) Teens are passionate. The first part of the teenage brain to fully develop is the emotions center. This means that teens can have high-highs and low-lows all in one day; they really connect with the hurt of others, and can be very passionate about the things they believe in.
7) Teens want to "own" their experiences. Their struggles are real and they want them taken seriously, not dismissed with "I survived that and you will, too." The best approach often with young people isn't to offer advice, but just to listen.
8) Teens are fun to be around. You might think hanging with adolescents would make you feel old, but it's just the opposite. They often offer a perspective on life and the world that is refreshingly honest, hopeful, and new. And that sense of hope and possibility can be contagious
9) Teens can be a great source of frustration. Ok, Ok. Teens are great, but let's be realistic about this, too. They can be incredibly frustrating to work with .unless you are willing to be flexible, can take a little good natured ribbing and criticism. Remember they are still growing.
10) Teen are not adults. No matter how much they might look or act like adults, teens are still children, in the best sense of the word. For every moment of maturity, they have other moments where they grumble about taking out the trash, neglect their responsibilities, fight with their best friends and then make up an hour later, and choose goofing off over doing their work. Don't expect them to act like adults. Expect them to act like young people who are still growing, adjusting, stumbling, and trying to figure it all out.
Kyle

Reference
rethinkingyouth.blogspot.com/.../top-10-things-adults-should-know-about.html

7 Things You Can Say To Harm A Child

I have to admit that of late I have left the social media giant of Facebook to latch onto the next wave of sharing every detail of my life. Twitter is a social networking service that gives you 140 words to say whatever you want. The best thing I have found out about Twitter is the connections that you can make to other members of the church, and met others from the “Christian” community. Adam Faughn posted a link to his blog the other day on Twitter and I thought I would share its contents.

What can we say that will harm a child?

1. “You’ll never be able to…” That might be true in some cases, but a small child doesn’t need to hear it. Let a child experiment and try new things. If a child fails, he or she can learn from that failure. But by saying that they’ll never be able to do something, you are keeping them from striving for improvement.

2. “You’re stupid!” (dumb, or irritating, or annoying, etc.) If we tell a child one of these horrible characteristics, sooner or later (and probably sooner) the child will believe it. If we tell a child he’s stupid, we shouldn’t expect him to do well in school. If we tell a child he/she is annoying, we shouldn’t be surprised when he/she acts out.

3. “You’re in the way.” There are times to say this, and there are times to avoid it like the plague. At “normal” times, a child is NOT in the way!

4. “Meet our accident.” Parents often talk about an unplanned child as an “accident.” What does the child think about that? The last time I checked, the Bible said that children (all children) are an heritage from the Lord!

5. “Can’t you do any better than that?” Maybe the child can’t, but there is a different way to say it! “That’s a good job, honey, but daddy’s going to help you do even better!”

6. For preteens: “Who’s your boyfriend/girlfriend?” This is one I have trouble avoiding, but we need to stop trying to pair off small children. Let the child have a childhood and stop trying to force them into some type of relationship. Even by kidding around about it, these words make it seem as though pairing up is just what you do.

7. Nothing. When a child asks a question or asks you to look at something, by all means, respond. Even if you say, “Daddy will in just a second, dear,” you have at least acknowledged the presence and request of the child. Don’t just let a child’s question “hang” out there. Over time, the child will learn just to say nothing to you.

Adam has a great point in this list. Sometimes, we can become wrapped up in ourselves and forget the needs of the children that are around us. We must realize the impact that your words have on children, and understand the influence and direction that they can place in their life. ~Kyle
Reference-http://faughnfamilyof4.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/7-things-you-can-say-to-harm-a-child/