Loving Teenagers Well
A Six-Part Group Guide for Those Who Show Up for Teens
The teen years are a wild ride—beautiful, unpredictable, and unfolding whether you’re ready or not. One moment, they shine with wisdom beyond their years, the next, they’re caught in the growing pains of becoming. Teenage years are a season of stretching and shifting, requiring trusted adults who offer steady love, deep trust, and the grace to let them change while we do, too.
This six-week series meets anyone who is right in the thick of parenting or caring for teenagers, offering practical insights, honest conversations, and a little humor to remind us: you are not alone.
Together, we’ll explore what it means to walk with the teenager in your life through failure, growth, and everything in between.
Each week, we’ll tackle a different part of the journey—navigating big emotions (theirs and ours), facing the fears that come with loving someone so much, trusting in their unshakable goodness, and helping them grow through both failure and resilience.
Inside this downloadable and printable PDF, you’ll find:
– Short video clips to spark conversation
– Thoughtful discussion questions
– Scripture passages to reflect on
– Blessings to end your time together
With wisdom from experts like Dr. Lisa Damour, humor writer Mary Laura Philpott, Father Greg Boyle, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, and Rainn Wilson—plus Kate Bowler’s honest (and often hilarious) conversations—we’ll talk about what it means to show up with love, empathy, and resilience. There are no perfect versions here. Just real people doing their best to love and guide wholehearted, hopeful kids in an overwhelming world.
What You Need to Get Started:
1. Find your people. Gather a group—mentors, parents, caregivers, or anyone who walks alongside teens. Choose a time and place that works for everyone. Pick whatever format works best for your group. The best conversations happen where people feel comfortable—whether that’s a kitchen table, a church classroom, a community center, a staff meeting, or even a text thread.
2. Access the group guide. Use whatever format works best for you.
– Download the PDF to print or read on a device.
– Or bookmark this online page for easy access.
– (Optional) Download these slides: bit.ly/3GAt4wc
3. Plan ahead for the weekly video clips. Each session includes a short video clip, so make sure you can stream it (YouTube and Wi-Fi required) or you can load the clip on your device ahead of time and keep it open to watch later (just pause it before the end of the clip). A laptop, tablet, or smartphone with speakers will work just fine. You can also send the clip to your group ahead of time for easy access. As the leader, we highly recommend listening to the full podcast episode listed at the top of each lesson—it will deepen your understanding and enrich your discussion.
– Bookmark this YouTube Playlist: bit.ly/4lIsRH9
Featuring:
PART 01
Big Feelings: Helping Teens Navigate Their Emotions with Dr. Lisa Damour
PART 03
Unshakably Good: Seeing Teens (and Ourselves) as God Does with Father Gregory Boyle
PART 05
Teens Becoming: The Gift of Showing Up for Something Bigger with Rainn Wilson
PART 02
Everybody Has Something: Leading Through Fear and Uncertainty with Mary Laura Philpott
PART 04
Resilient Teens: Trust, Failure, and Second Chances with Coach K
PART 06
You’re Not Alone: Teaching Teens to Ask for Help with Dr. Lisa Damour
A blessing for those who care
for teens
Bless you who love a teenager—
who carry them in your heart and your worries,
who lie awake replaying the day,
wondering if you did too much or not enough,
if they’ll be okay, if you will be too.
Bless you in the mess of it,
in the deep breaths before
the hard conversations,
in the holding back when you want to fix,
in the moments you feel like you’re failing.
May you remember:
these are the most fascinating human beings in the world.
May you have the grace to pause,
to listen before you advise,
to say, “If I were in your shoes,
I’d feel the same way,”
to trust that love,
more than answers,
is what they need most.
May laughter slip in at just the right moment,
fueling you for the days when joy feels far away.
May your steady love quiet their fears. And yours.
And bless you who never got this kind of care,
who are trying to offer what you never received,
who are doing it differently,
even when it’s messy.
Imperfect as it all is—your love is enough.
