Fathers, don’t exasperate your children by coming down hard on them.
Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master. Ephesians 6:4 (TM)

I used to think this was easier – when the girls were young. It’s easier to take them by the hand and lead when the first thing you hear when you come through the door is the sound of their footsteps running towards you. They were right there in your arms. You take them by the hand and go.

As teenagers the sound I often hear is that of their footsteps walking the opposite direction. They’ve got friends, school, activities, church, and work. They’ve got the keys to the truck. Not to mention there are hormones and menstrual cycles, and developing brains bubbling over with chemical changes.

Leading teenage girls is a bit like herding cats, but it doesn’t mean the responsibility isn’t there. It just means, in guy terms, that you have to make half-time adjustments in your game plan.