It was time for Mom to say if we were going to church or not. She said we were going to Immanuel. I sat up and said, "well, what time is preaching"? She said we were going to Sunday School too.

I thought about it and said, "I don't have a class there because Guembee is still visiting her family in South Korea, Ashley never goes, and Sara went back to Germany. Marilyn is also old and boring and there is NO way I could put up with her alone."

Mom started yelling and said, "damn it, Roni you are going to Immanuel".

I said, "do I have to go to Sunday School? I have NO class, where would I go?"

She replied "to my class or the other class".

"OK Mom,sure, I'll sit with people who are over twice my age, sure I will."

Anyway, cutting all this short, she kept yelling about it and saying that I had no choice because it was HER decision where I go to church. Dad wouldn't even hear me out. Finally, in the end, we went to North Park. Of course, we didnt go to Sunday School there because Mom didn't "want to".

What am I getting at???? Several things:

Don't force your kids to go to a church because you "want to".

Don't tell them it's the right relgion because you were raised that way, and your parents were, and so on and such...let them see if they believe it and WHY.

Don't call your kid "another damn rebellious, stupid teenager" because they actually try to say something that you don't want to hear.

Realize that even if they like church and really get something out of it, it still sucks to be the ONLY teen there.

Realize that a teen doesn't really like being with people more than twice there age at all times, if ever.

Don't tell your teen that they MUST go to Sunday School when your own spouse doesn't even go to church.

If your teen wants to tell you why they don't feel comfortable in a place, don't tell them "I don't give a damn what you think" and "You don't get to make a point, I don't care if you think you have one, You don't". Hear them out people, hear them out!

Last but not least, don't let you teen wake up to hearing an argument over something that they supposibly did, for once, let them wake up happy. Let them feel loved for once. Maybe greet them with a "good morning" or a hug...that would be nice.