What would your advice be for a teenager wanting to attend youth group against a parents wishes?
86880
If I were the youth pastor, I would give the following response...\n\nTo honor your mother and father is not always to "obey". You could say, "Mother, Dad, I appreciate your input--I honor and respect your advice highly, but in this case, I think it would be in my best interest to..." What parent, in their right mind, would not feel honored? Parents want their children to make intelligent choices, not be micromanaged on every decision or dilema.\n\nNow, first, if you are under their roof, you are under their authority and care. You must take this in to account. If you live on your own, you are under your own rules for living. If you are under the legal age to live on your own, you are under your parents guidance and care.\n\nOK, let's say you honor your parent's wishes and skip the youth group event. What message have you sent? That you care about your parents will and opinion--even if it is wrong or goes against your faith. You value God's command to honor your parents--even though your faith has brought a division among the family. You have provided a far better witness of your faith by NOT attending, than you would BY attending. Do you see? Whatever you missed at the youth group event, God will restore one-hundredfold later because of your obedience at the present time.\n\nI would advise, don't go. And tell your parents it is because you honor their opinion. If they tell you to drop your faith in Christ, then you can break out the sword and say, "No." and go against their counsel.
615806
Have definite rules. In my experience managing adults is a lot more difficult than children. If it's the youth choir, get the parents involved. If its adults, have rules and don't let rule breakers sing. Also, get the church leadership (pastor, deacons, clergy, etc) behind you so that your decisions will have teeth if someone tries to challenge you (and they will). God be with you.
746240
I'm an atheist too, but on occasion (Christmas, Easter, etc)I go to church with my parents (who only know that I'm not a Christian) because it's part of what we do as a family and also part of our culture (though not a very good part, I think). \n\nAt 15, it's not necessary for your friend to cause a ruckus with her parents, and she may well bring a whole host of problems down on herself - as a minor they can do a lot of things to her that she *really* wouldn't like - and depending on how fundamentalist they are, such actions may not be too far fetched.\n\nI suggest that she simply bring her skeptical viewpoint to church with her and view the whole thing as a learning situation until she either turns 18 or moves out of the house. Not believing in god doesn't require active proselytizing (unlike religion). Eyes and ears open, mouth shut (for a while).
724866
Try this group run by PFLAG\n\nhttp://www.pflagdayton.org/youthquest.html
1021450
Prepare, Act and play like champions.....\n\nThe parents should be reminded that their behavior should match that of the players.... be respectful
127533
ask them.  be respectful.  have trust with your parents. and most importantly dont ask to go to something you know for a fact they wont let you.
687293
Tell another adult that you trust.  Parents and teachers are great listeners.  This is something that you don't want to let happen any more.  Tell someone and if they don't listen tell someone else.
180368
plz don't listen to the previous person forgive him. You do have to chose carefully as to who you go to though. It is equivalent to any counseling. It depends on you church and how they view the world. You don't  want any of the 2 extremes not too conservative and not too liberal. The media would have you think that christian counseling is wrong but so are shrinks. It all depends on how you are trying to raise your youth. It is as everything people perceive it all depends on what you want your child to learn.
613984
Every teenager has a group of friends they hang out with. \nThe parents may not like the group of friends because of the\nnegative influence. But your son is at an age where he can\nmake some decisions for himself. Choosing his friends is one of them. As long as he is not getting in trouble with the law and doing drugs then there's no problem. That is the\nfirst step of experiencing what the world is like. So don't\npressure him about it. If you do then he'll just get further away from you and then he'll be angry at you. Just\nkeep on encouraging him in areas where he needs it most.
1072136
WHAT'S YOUR PLAN.\nFINDING ONE ID; MAIL TO HIM/HER ; GROWING FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE ; MARRYING HIM? HER.\nISN'T IT?\n\nBUT THAT IS NOT LOGICALLY POSSIBLE.\nCOZ, MANY MORE GIRLS/ BOYS TRYING TO DO SO.\n\nYOU WILL BE IN A QUEUE.\n\nDO SOMETHING USEFUL AND MAKE YOUR PARENTS.PROUD.
904676
I think that you should respect your parents call on this one hun...sorry.  You are only 13, and your parents love you and are protecting you from experiances that you are not yet ready to handle.
103971
All u can do is tell them that ur not doing anything at all. The only person u really have to be accoutable to is urself(and God,if ur religious). I know it's hard to ignore all the gossip and rumors, but that is where fresh air comes into play. It's always good to clear ur head. IF it's possible, let ur parents know where u go when ur not at home(if it won't get u in trouble). When u are out of the house, and on ur own(especially if u get hitched), that kind of gossip will stop(I assume).\n\nMy own relatives think I'm a skank(In my culture, dating isn't allowed), and my parents believe a lot of what they hear. The only advice I get from people is to go on with my life and deal with it. People who gossip are bored, and they want exitement and drama in their own lives, so ur the scapegoat. Others are miserable in their own lives and want company. I know it's hard, but try to be happy no matter what, and one day, God will see ur pain and deliver u from it. Good Luck!
441514
Assuming you would want to stand up to peer pressure:  \nIt's very hard to be a teenager today; your parents expect you to live up to their expectations, and your friends expect you to be one of the crowd, even if this means going against your parents' wishes.  The threat held over you is that you are "not cool," are "immature," or a thousand other terms that are designed to make you feel that you do not have a will of your own.
922558
Do what you want its your life!\nYou are still young dont limit yourself im sure you could be anything you wanted. Do somthing you enjoy doing.\nIm sure your parents just want you to be healthy and happy anyway.
1350
First thing I'd suggest is knowing your opponent .. in laymens terms .. ask your girlfriend as much about your parents as you can such as culter attitude and so on .. and past experiences with her last boyfriends that have had the in some cases unfortunante opportunity of meeting them. Once you know what type of people you'll be dealing with you'll be more at ease knowing you can handle what difficulties may come from them.
248374
That depends.  Do you have an idea as to how they will react?  If you think they'll be okay or just a little weirded out, tell them when you feel comfortable.  If they are strict and really religious and you can see them having a huge issue with it, wait until are, or close to 18.  That way you have the option of moving out or at least being an adult where they can't control your life so much and you can make your own choices.  \n\nIts scary, but now days they have church camps where they claim to 'cure gay teens'.  If you think your parents are that exreme, it might be good to wait.  Coming out can be scary, but be strong in yourself and who you are.  And always remember there is nothing wrong with you no matter what others may say.
674521
Be honest.  That may seem like an overly simplistic answer, but its more difficult to execute than you may think.  As a minor, you may believe that it is in your best interest to sometimes tamper with the truth in order to avoid punishment.  If you make a mistake you may keep it secret or tell your parents only the partial truth to keep from getting in trouble, but fear of punishment is not a sign of maturity.  If you are always honest with your parents, you will not be afraid to take responsibility for your actions when you make a mistake and you will be true to your word when you give it.  That means getting home by the time you're supposed to and not going out to a party when you've told your parents that you're going over to a friends house to study.  These things may seem difficult at first, but they are all ways that you can show your parents that you possess the maturity to be trusted with more adult things.\n\nNow, I don't mean to imply that you are a pathological liar or that you are constantly sneaking out on your parents, but every teenager keeps some things from their parents that they know they really shouldn't.  It's when you face up to your actions and accept responsibilty for them without putting up a fight or throwing a tantrum that you gain maturity and become an adult.  Though you may be a minor now, there is nothing wrong with getting a head start and I'm sure your parents will notice the change.  Well, I hope that helps. Unfortunately, I don't know how old you are so it may be that you are just too young for the responsibility that you're asking for. Still, being honest shouldn't hurt.  Good luck!