One awe-inspiring privilege of parenting teens is you get to see a work of art in progress. You can take part in mentoring a young person as he grows and develops.

God calls us to cherish and encourage our children, yet parenting teens is a hard job; sometimes, we experience stress, anger, and frustration. In the heat of a crazy moment, we might say things without thinking that tear our kids down. We need to remember our words hold tremendous power over them.

As I write this article, I realize how many times I’ve said things I shouldn’t to my teens. As you read these words, you may see some things you’ve said too.

Proverbs 12:18 offers us an admonition and hope: “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Here’s one way our words can bring healing: when we say something we shouldn’t, let’s admit it and ask for forgiveness. I’ve discovered this improves my relationship with my kids almost more than anything. Remember that as you read these 10 statements.

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