Joey & Carla Link
March 25, 2026
Spring is here and the seniors in high school, those in their final year of school are ready to be done with their studies and just have fun. If you have had a senior in your home, you will recognize the symptoms – once they get accepted to the university or college of their choice, they mentally move there. They treat their younger siblings as though they are back in the preschool years. They treat you, their parents as peers. There is a name for this, and it is “senioritis”.
We mention senioritis in our teaching titled, “Navigating the Rapids Of Parenting” (you can download it and watch the video of it here). You may still remember some of the things you did when you were a senior and recognize your teens doing them too! Realizing they are coming to the end of their time with their friends, seniors neglect their family and their responsibilities at home and focus on their friends who they fear they may never spend time with again. They don’t want to lose these last few months of experiences so they put things they need to do on the back burner so they can make the most of their time with their peers.
Seniors don’t realize the offenses they build up with their parents and siblings because they don’t make them a priority. They often aren’t keeping on top of their chores, which can take a lot of time from parents or siblings when they cover for them. There is never a time to put relationships and responsibilities on hold. When they go to university, their parents and siblings are going to miss them too. So, parents, if you have a regular Family Night, make sure you keep that up with mandatory attendance by all family members. And make sure your seniors stay on top of their chores and other responsibilities. If you don’t, your family or chores won’t be important to them when they come home from school breaks either. Instead of seeing old friends and spending time with family they will spend their time in their room texting their university friends.
When they start skipping their responsibilities, they also will likely put their relationship with God on hold too. It is God who should be guiding them at this very important stage of life when they are making life-changing decisions of where to go to school and what kind of career to be pursuing. We told our kids that before they chose a secular university to go to, we wanted them to find out if they had Christian organizations like Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Cru or Navigators on campus and were they active in campus life? Making these decisions without having a vibrant relationship with God was not a good idea.
Senioritis will come, but you don’t have to be the caught off guard by it. You can guide your teens in and through this all-important stage and phase of life watching them transition to their young adult years more mature and wiser than many of their friends and peers.
| Have you listened to these Mom’s Notes presentations? These 2 Mom’s Notes sessions have great information for parents of teens to finish well before their teen heads into his/her young adult years. The Coaching Phase – (Ages 13-22 Years) The teen years can be the best years of parenting! This Mom’s Notes session gives helpful guidelines on understanding when a teen is ready for freedom and independence. It also takes a look at the third and final transition, (Ages 19-22 years) and discusses what scenarios are common to this period in the life of parents and their now nearly adult child. PDFMP3 Building a Relationship of Trust with a Rebellious Teen – This Mom’s Notes session draws on Joey Link’s experience as a youth and family pastor as he and Carla talk about building a relationship of trust with a rebellious teen. If you choose to listen to it, you will find, as many parents have told us, that the information in it applies to all teens. PDFMP3 Navigating the Rapids of Parenting – Learn how to navigate the tough transitions in parenting before you find yourself in them! Downloadable Video Use code March29 at checkout by 3/29/26 for $1 off each MP3, PDF & the downloadable video |
Parenting Made Practical Podcasts
#50 Do Your Kids Have Time for God?
Every Christian parent wants their child to grow up to believe in God, but 85% of kids don’t! Learn practical ways to help your kids grow in their faith and be in the 15% who sticks with Jesus.
Click the title or search Parenting Made Practical in your favorite
podcast app to listen!