I’ve joked before of all the many ways parenting has made me a better youth pastor. After all, there are many similarities between a toddler and a junior high student:
1. If you meet their hunger, they’re much easier to work with.
2. Sometimes you have. to. talk. slowly. and clearly. if you want to make sure they’re going to get it.
3. One of the best ways to increase the likelihood of behavioral change, is to have them repeat the command back to you.
4. No matter how much they pretend other things are important, sometimes all they really want to do is run around a bit.
5. More girls = More drama.
And so on the list goes. But on the flip side, I’ve been involved in youth ministry for several years before becoming a parent. Here are a few ways working with teenagers had been preparing me to be a father:
(for the rest of this post, check out my guest post at “Next Level Mama” today!!!)
words from wick 
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