Summertime can be a strange thing for teenagers.  Many go from school-year schedules that require smartphones to summertime one’s that leave them checking their pulse.  Clubs, teams, meetings, appointments—these sorts of things fill their year, but oftentimes even the busiest of students are left with nothing to do once the summer arrives.  Here are some tips for how teens can get the most out of their summers.

5 +’s and 5 -’s = 10 Helpful Tips for Teenagers in the Summertime

First, the +’s.  Let’s start things off on a positive note.  Here are five things you need to strive to be with whatever summer you’ve got left.

1. Productive
   For goodness’ sake, find your lazy self something to do!
2. Mentor
   Find one for yourself.  Be one to somebody else.
3. Reader
   Find something you like and read about it.  Books, magazines, articles…whatever.  Just read.  It’s kind of like taking a shower for your brain…and trust me, you need one!
4. Holy
   Don’t waste away spiritually during the summer.  Start right away and establish a time and a place where you can read the Bible and pray every day.
5. Helpful
   Use the extra time you’ve got to do something positive.  Help out at church.  Help your neighbors with stuff.  Just help!

Now, here’s the -’s.  At all costs, resist the temptation to veg out all summer long, not doing anything but lounging around and learning how to be more comfortable with being lazy.  Instead, take my advice and steer clear from the following headings.

1. Screen Saver
   Like a computer that’s not being used, too many teenagers turn off their brains all summer long.  This is NOT GOOD!
2. Narcolepsy
   Sleep…ahhh.  We all love it, but ‘too much of a good thing is bad’ definitely rings true with teenagers, summertime, and excessive sleeping.  GET OUT OF BED!
3. Lazy
   Summertime does not mean you’re off the hook from having to do anything.  God didn’t create us to be lazy, so get off your butt and do something!
4. Selfish
   Many teenagers feel that they’ve somehow deserved the right to be lazy because they’ve made it to the summer.  Try telling that to your boss someday!
5. Fat
   When we lay around, encourage inactivity, and don’t do anything we become fat.  The same is true with our spiritual lives.  Don’t become spiritually fat over the summer.

There’s your 10 helpful tips on teenagers and summertime.  Any I forgot?  What advice would you give to young people during their summer months?