This is Part 1 of a 2-part series: Part 2
“Do we talk to our children this week about the pleasures of life without the disciplines of life?Do we inspire them and guide them more than we corrected them?”V. Gilbert Beers
- Many of you know a Netflix series that attracts the attention of elementary and high school students.
- 13 Reasons Why is a series based on a novel written by Jay Asher.
- After her classmate.
- Hannah Baker.
- Committed suicide.
- Clay Jensen struggles to understand why.
- When you get home from school.
- You’ll find a package with your name on the porch.
- Inside the package.
- He finds several tapes recorded by Hannah.
- She tells him that there are thirteen reasons why he decided to end his life.
- One of them.
- If you look at the tapes.
- You’ll find out why.
Clay becomes a first-hand witness to Hannah’s pain, and as she continues to listen to her recorded lyrics, she discovers the people who influenced Hannah’s decision and her secrets. Clay is in conflict and overwhelmed by feelings of guilt, confusion and a desire to correct the mistakes that have been made.
The terrifying question left to the living is, “Did I kill Hannah Baker?”Guilt and shame quickly wreak havoc on a group of students whose lives come together because of the secrets everyone is trying to hide. It ends with broken hearts, some secrets, being revealed and some not. If there is one positive thing about the message, it is that elections have (sometimes very serious) consequences and that we all have to take responsibility for our own actions.
However, this positive message is greatly overshadowed by the graphic brutality, sexuality and corruption shown as “normal” for children of that age. The series reflects current topics, in an underlying way, in many other teen dramas: licensing, doing what looks good, seeking to be the best, recreational sex and drug use, all with little redemptive advice in the development of drama. Adults are portrayed as incompetent and ill-informed people who interfere with what teenage reason knows is the best way. And while these activities and beliefs may be normal for some young people, such series create a distorted sense of what is typical of American teens. culture and set a bad precedent for the average teen/ty teen viewer.
You could talk about why this series shouldn’t be aimed at young people and the risks it creates for other young people taking steps similar to Hannah Baker’s, yet there’s something valuable I’ve taken from this story, here it is: kids I need reasons to live. They need to find meaning and identity for the things that really satisfy them. They need hope. And they have to learn to live.
Do we give our children 13 reasons why it’s worth living?Do we convince them that nothing is too difficult for us to hear, that no problem is forbidden, and that we can manage the most intimate details of their lives with sincere love and concern?We need to be proactive and promote connections with our young people. When they are tempted to believe that what we have to say is irrelevant or inappropriate, we must work tirelessly to engage them, to demonstrate our worth in their lives.
Let the teens know they’re not alone. Be proactive in dealing with difficult issues when you are young, even before problems enter your world. Be a guide to your redemption by talking about the corruption you will be forced to endure. Let them know there’s someone fighting for them.
Here are 13 reasons to show your children that life is worth it
As parents, live these 13 why for you! When you talk to your children, communicate these why in your own words, adorned with your life experience and theirs; and, if necessary, direct them to the scriptures where God gives them these reasons. Help them connect the points of God’s promises with their struggles. The goal is not to quote the scriptures from our children, but to bring the truth to life through relevant words and actions. We want to help you see that the Bible reveals much more than corrections and rules. Reveal life, freedom, and a personal relationship with a God who knows what’s going on in their lives. The challenge is to speak wisely and convincingly about such truths in relation to their experiences. And when God is present, you will discover that there are more than 13 reasons to live. So keep watching and listening to our living and loving God!
This is the first part of a two-part series: Part 2