As the parent of two sons not too far removed from their teens, I have to say I really enjoy the comic strip Zits. It's the ongoing saga of 15-year-old Jeremy and his life. One strip recently shows Jeremy, almost in passing, asking his mother if she ever smoked. She starts out calm, collected, "No, I'm proud to say that I never picked up that FILTHY, DISGUSTING, FOUL-SMELLING, EXPENSIVE POLUTING AND ADDICTIVE HABIT!"
Jeremy, somewhat wind blown, walks away, noting, "Sometimes I envy those people who complain about receiving mixed messages at home."
This leads us into the last five areas for families to examine during this, Family Week. (The rating scale is 0=Low and 10=High.)
Clear Roles
- Strong families recognize parents are in charge and are open to the children's ideas. Family members respect the parents' authority and listen to the children.
Appreciation
- Strong families care for each other and are grateful to one another. Family members demonstrate thoughtfulness, offer recognition, express appreciation.
Adaptability
- Strong families are able to adapt to life changes and stressful situations. Family members are stress.
Togetherness
- Strong families like to spend their free time together. Family members enjoy being together and spend quality time together.
Participation
- Strong families work on tasks together. 10 Bonus points
TOTAL FAMILY STRENGTH SCORE: ____________
Low = 0-25 Moderate=26-50 Good=61-75 Excellent=76-100
Prayer: Dear Father, Give our family the strength and courage to listen and communicate clearly, to forgive and comfort compassionately, and to love each other abundantly. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment