Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens

I read Age of Opportunity when my children were very young because a friend recommended it as helpful for the Christian life generally, not just for parenting teenagers. He was right! It is easy to hear helpful sermons, read the Bible, and then fail to apply the principles. This book helped me to link biblical teaching to the nitty-gritty of life.

Tripp encourages parents to see the privileges and opportunities of shepherding children through the tricky teenage years. By presenting five goals amidst the pulls of sin and grace, he paints a refreshingly biblical perspective. I don’t know how many times I’ve read it; I’ve found a page or two at a time works best. Just today, I read a paragraph and had to put the book down, and process, repentantly, what was being said: I knew I hadn’t been applying something to my attitude to my work.  The point was just as relevant to me as it was to parenting my 14-year-old daughter.