Three million kids have grandparents parenting them. Are you one of those grandparents? Are you in need of some help? Are you in a crisis with your teen that you're not sure anyone has an answer for? There are natural communication barriers between grandparents and their teenage grandkids: • new and old cultures collide and the relationship sometimes flies out the window • hurtful words stab at a grandparent trying to help • memories are missed and arguments explode in a family Both grandparents and grandkids face these triggers, but from opposite sides. And sometimes they result in teens getting into drugs, kids smoldering in unexpressed anger that deepens into depression, and kids even harming themselves. The teenagers want attention and relationships; grandparents want to help. Help is available from author and well-known family expert Mark Gregston who has worked in teenage and family ministries such as Young Life and his own program, Heartlight, for over forty years. For Gregston, it’s all about relationships. Teens need to find out why they think no one understands them. And they need help to guide them through this contradictory world. Grandparenting Teens is a valuable resource that helps grandparents love their teens and relate to them in genuine, honest, life-changing ways. This book gives practical tips on how to start grandparenting teens in a way that fosters connection. Mark teaches skills such as getting everyone to listen—really listen. As a grandparent, you can help your teen learn to paint their honest, big-picture perspective, so no one’s left out of their world. They will learn gratefulness instead of giving grief. They will recognize when their grandparent understands their troubles and becomes their role model for life when everyone else turns away. And both grandparents and teens will find their point of contact—their bond. Gregston’s stories will entertain you. They will teach you. They will move you. Some will even change your life. This book is a must for every grandparent who wants to continue to have an influence on the life of their teen grandchildren. In this ever-important role, grandparents can offer something to their grandkids that they can receive from no one else.

Parenting today’s teens is not for cowards. Your teenager is facing unprecedented and confusing pressures, temptations, and challenges in today’s culture. Mark Gregston has helped teens and their parents through every struggle imaginable, and now he shares his biblical, practical insights with you in bite-size pieces. Punctuated with Scriptures, prayers, and penetrating questions, these one-page devotions will give you the wisdom and assurance you need to guide your teen through these years and reach the other side with relationships intact.

Parents influence. Grandparents leave a legacy. What will you be remembered for by your grandchildren? Teens today are stuffed with information, yet starving for wisdom. They act distant, but the truth is, they need you now more than ever. You have a place in their lives—your gray hair, your wisdom, your relationship, your involvement in their lives to help counter the contrary influence in today’s teen culture. They need you to touch their hearts, even if their behavior hurts your heart. Your life can transform their life and change the destiny of your family! Grandparenting Today’s Teens is a must read for every grandparent’s library. With wit and wisdom, Mark Gregston helps you better connect and engage with your grandchildren. For both young and old grandparents alike, chapter titles include: - Changing Gears When You’re Almost Out of Gas - Why Gray Hair Works to Your Benefit - Making Memories Before You Lose Yours - Losing Battles but Winning Wars - Don’t Save the Best for Last Remember, you can be the connection that offers hope.

When grandchildren are young, a sweet treat or new toy is enough to inspire their unconditional adoration. And then your grandchildren grow up. Suddenly they are teenagers and it's not so easy. With our differences in musical tastes, technology, formative events . . . one could say we are from different worlds. Where Two Worlds Meet starts with the teenage years, recognizing that your grandchildren are becoming independent beings. It's an action-focused guide to stay connected and even deepen your relationship with your grandchildren as you both age. Parents will love this book too, as it helps grandparents respect boundaries as the grandparent, not the parent, and teaches how to develop healthy interdependence. All these ideas work whether you are in the same city or connecting from afar. Each chapter includes hands-on tactics to put learning into action. It's peppered with letters from grandchildren of diverse ages and backgrounds, sharing personal stories about a grandparent's impact on their lives. Grandparents can have a transformative effect on their family when they unleash their creativity, share their skills, and give voice to the things they are passionate about. Creativity is about bringing your whole self, including your vulnerability, to the relationship with your grandchildren as you enter each other's world.

A tactical, caring guide for grandparents on ways to connect with their families. When grandchildren are young, a sweet treat or new toy is enough to inspire their unconditional adoration. And then your grandchildren grow up. Suddenly they are teenagers and it's not so easy. Where Two Worlds Meet starts with the teenage years, recognizing that your grandchildren are becoming independent beings. It's an action-focused guide to stay connected and even deepen your relationship with your grandchildren as you both age. Grandparents can have a transformative effect on their family when they unleash their creativity, share their skills, and give voice to the things they are passionate about. Creativity is about bringing your whole self, including your vulnerability, to the relationship with your grandchildren as you enter each other's world.

Sticky Faith delivers positive and practical ideas to nurture within your kids a living, loving faith that lasts a lifetime. Research indicates that almost half of high school seniors drift from their faith after graduation. Struck by this staggering statistic, and recognizing its ramifications, the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) conducted the "College Transition Project" in an effort to identify the relationships and best practices that can set young people on a trajectory of lifelong faith and service. This easy-to-read guide presents both a compelling rationale and a powerful strategy to show parents how to actively encourage their children’s spiritual growth so that it will stick with them into adulthood and empower them to develop a living, lasting faith. Written by Fuller Youth Institute Executive Director Dr. Kara E. Powell and youth expert Chap Clark--authors known for the integrity of their research and the intensity of their passion for young people--Sticky Faith is geared to spark a movement that empowers adults to develop robust and long-term faith in kids of all ages. Further engage your family and church with the Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith curriculum, and Sticky Faith youth worker edition. Sticky Faith is also available in Spanish, Cómo criar jóvenes de fe sólida.