“Every parent is at some time the father of the unreturned prodigal, with nothing to do but keep his house open to hope.”

The above quote reminds me of the proverb that says “raise up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.”

What the proverb implies, and most parents miss, is that at some point, our kids are going to “depart from” all the good stuff we have tried to teach them.

Getting ready for your prodigal

Not all kids become prodigals. So I am not saying that you need to expect your child to become a prodigal.

I am saying that as parents we need to be prepared for their chosen field of departure and be prepared beforehand.

Here are two strategies to help you get prepared -

1. Prepare for how you will respond to the many different ways in which kids can “depart.”

2. Make sure, even if all you are holding onto is hope, that you keep the kind of relationship with them that provides a place to return to when they are done departing - even if it takes longer than you ever thought possible - once you are a parent, they are always and forever your “child.”

Visit ParentingYourTeenager.com for tips and tools for thriving during the teen years. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 5 day e-program on The Top 5 Things to Never Say to Your Teenager, from parenting coach and expert Jeff Herring .

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