This book is required reading at our house. It’s because sometimes kids are jerks and they have to be taught how not to be a jerk. My theory is, if teens are pressed to look outside themselves to find purpose, they will likely discover contentment. 

I’ve found that if they’re left to their own devices to merely search out pleasure and recreation, watch YouTube videos and partake of Cheetos and Mountain Dew while trolling Instagram, they will be miserable. Selfishness, disregard for others and junk food never a cheerful person made. 

Bestowing upon our spawn the gift of understanding how to love and serve others (especially their siblings) is the best objective we could ever bless them with. 

Most people aren’t just born with the toolkit they need to be a good human. It’s a skill and it’s learned and it’s our job to equip them. 

If you haven’t read The 5 Love Languages, I highly recommend it. For me, it was the beginning of a personal tidal wave of enlightenment that began about 10 years ago and it transformed my life. This version is well-adapted for young people and they embrace it from page one. 

It’s almost like they were waiting for it.