What is a Teenager?

A toddler in disguise :-)

I am surrounded by scary teenagers all day, every day!!!!!!
I remember walking down from our school with my friend, Lis (also my colleague), and looking at our students from the outside. We both remarked that they were big, loud & scary, marching down the street shouting & laughing!!!!!!!!
We also laughed as we remembered that most were just like pussy cats:-)
In our classes, they were so sweet ( most of the time), and responded so well to firm & fair treatment with a big dose of humour & respect. They all need to be loved & praised - just like toddlers :-)

I have been teaching now for soooo many years, and of course now have 3 live-in ones at home who have been through every stage of teenage angst (we have gone through it too!)

This year when we go to China , I have been asked to present training to SWI staff, foster mothers & nannies on how to deal with Teenagers. It is an honour to be asked...but there are days I look at my teenagers and wonder.... " Why did they ask ME?"

They are great kids, but all teenagers have their day - they are a "Work in Progress". Of course, so are their parents?

I am so enjoying preparing the training, and as always am learning as I go. There are no experts on teenagers:-)

However this brings me to an important point.
It is tough being a Teenager today (even when you have the loving & unconditional support of your family)

Today, I am thinking of a group of teenagers who have grown up in an institution and have to go thro all the trials of teenage growth without proper love & support.
We have been given a wonderful opportunity to provide these teenagers with a loving foster family trained to support them, for them to feel in some way "like their friends" and to give them hope for the future.

What an amazing opportunity!
How sad if we lose it?

Because of the set up in this particular SWI, if we cannot find sponsors for all 30 then the programme will not work.

So, what the cost of providing this hope for a teenager?

Simply £20 a month

If we cannot find another 16 (at this time of writing), before Wednesday, then the programme will not go ahead for now & these teenagers will continue to struggle to cope with life.

If an individual, a family, a class, a Sunday School group, a Youth Club........ would like to be involved, they can raise the money, send gifts, receive photos & reports every 3 months and know that they are making a huge difference to a life.

I know many of our readers are already involved in making a differnece - but if you are just popping in, or have not considered it before, please think about it & contact me if you would like any more info.

Thanks for "listening"