The Answerer

Oh boy...lots will read this one!

At about 12 years old Jesus upset his parents and caused considerable trouble for them, yes he did. Jesus had important things to do and said to them: “Didn’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?” Big misunderstanding, but it was for Jesus an essential part of his growing up (Jesus was missing for five days! (see Luke 2:41-51)) Having ‘boundaries’ (how far you can go) is essential for children. Sometimes kids don’t like them, but sometimes they are secretly glad they that (the boundaries) are there and the decision is the parents’, not the child’s (you’ll recall all this when you are raising your own children).

It is fairly normal for kids to dispute on many things with their parents – it is part of growing up. I remember one of my children smiling a little after losing a dispute (that’s 50 years ago and she did not see that I saw her smile). I believe she was pleased to ‘lose’ that argument as it made her pleased, somehow.

God does help. “How?” Well Zig Zigler said that in an argument in their house mum would say: “It is not who’s right it’s what’s right.” The Bible can help a lot in finding examples of what is right. Zig claimed that his mum was the wisest person he ever knew.

But there are some parents who do not know how to raise children. Maybe drugs, alcohol and ‘having an affair’ (adultery) is their way of living. If yours do this see a Chaplain, Policeman or Policewoman and talk to them if it is a serious problem.