How would you handle this?

[Debi]

I've had friends over the years come to me when their kids start to "dabble" in occult stuff. We're not talking just simple looking for spirituality or white magic, we're talking the ones looking into the dark spells and channeling the Darth Vader model.

I'll share later my various approaches to this, but what would you do to help your friend with a child between the ages of 13 and 16 going well beyond Harry Potter level?

 

[Paintman]

Here is a short hand lens to view this topic, and many others.
The Four Goals of Misbehaviour (assume that doing the dark arts has a specific purpose. )
1 Attention - Pay attention to me. Recognize me. My crowd accepts me.
2 Power - I will make you do.... all of the above #1. Create a sense of control.
3 Revenge - I'm doing this to tick off Mom & Dad. Out of a twarted sense of entitlement.
4 Inadequacy - This treads into depression, and is a counter productive coping mechanism.
The key is behaviour is goal oriented to fulfill needs.

 

[Debi]

Here is a short hand lens to view this topic, and many others.
The Four Goals of Misbehaviour (assume that doing the dark arts has a specific purpose. )
1 Attention - Pay attention to me. Recognize me. My crowd accepts me.
2 Power - I will make you do.... all of the above #1. Create a sense of control.
3 Revenge - I'm doing this to tick off Mom & Dad. Out of a twarted sense of entitlement.
4 Inadequacy - This treads into depression, and is a counter productive coping mechanism.
The key is behaviour is goal oriented to fulfill needs.

Thank you, Paint! Excellent lens.

 

[Seahunter]

Wow, such a turbulent time for a teen - thirteen to sixteen. I know the person came to you, but I would be very careful to be so involved in the nurturing of something so powerful in young mind. I guess I would do some form of assessment, like Paint laid out. Then I would proceed based on the maturity of the particular teen involved. If I thought they could "handle" the subject matter, and had good intention, I would take on a sort of mentor relationship with the teen and proceed in a deliberately reserved manner. If I thought they weren't quite ready, I would still offer mentoring, but with the goal of educating and developing as a person before taking on more serious study with them.

 

[Debi]

Wow, such a turbulent time for a teen - thirteen to sixteen. I know the person came to you, but I would be very careful to be so involved in the nurturing of something so powerful in young mind. I guess I would do some form of assessment, like Paint laid out. Then I would proceed based on the maturity of the particular teen involved. If I thought they could "handle" the subject matter, and had good intention, I would take on a sort of mentor relationship with the teen and proceed in a deliberately reserved manner. If I thought they weren't quite ready, I would still offer mentoring, but with the goal of educating and developing as a person before taking on more serious study with them.

I will tell you right off the bat, I won't work with teens directly. Parents I will educate on good/bad magik and suggest books for understanding, but I won't go one on one with teens for liability reasons.

 

[Seahunter]

liability reasons.

Well, that was my first thought actually. I should have prefaced my post with, once a rock solid release form is signed, proceed with caution!

 

[Debi]

Well, that was my first thought actually. I should have prefaced my post with, once a rock solid release form is signed, proceed with caution!

LOL THERE ya go! I did work with a teen who was 17 at one time. She had some true gifts, and her parents were behind her all the way in learning about them. She wasn't into the dark side so I felt safe enough to help mentor her for a bit.

I've found that boys are more likely to look at the darker occult things in that age group....most likely for the exact reasons Paint laid out there. Now, if they are playing with Ouija boards or something, I WILL be happy to lecture my tail feathers off at them.

 

[Charleh]

Honestly I’d like to show my kids just how deep the rabbit hole goes with occult stuff, because I’ve done my own personal studies. I’m sure one good look at my notes would scare them straight.

And hopefully they realize the reason I know so much is just to keep myself safe, not to train up to be some wizard :O

 

[7Critter]

Honestly I’d like to show my kids just how deep the rabbit hole goes with occult stuff, because I’ve done my own personal studies. I’m sure one good look at my notes would scare them straight.

And hopefully they realize the reason I know so much is just to keep myself safe, not to train up to be some wizard :O

You still need to be careful, IMO.

 

[Soul Edge]

I've had friends over the years come to me when their kids start to "dabble" in occult stuff. We're not talking just simple looking for spirituality or white magic, we're talking the ones looking into the dark spells and channeling the Darth Vader model.

I'll share later my various approaches to this, but what would you do to help your friend with a child between the ages of 13 and 16 going well beyond Harry Potter level?

It would depend largely on what my relationship with them (mainly the child) is. Then my two main approaches would be to try to convince them from a religious standpoint and one of dangers involved in what they're doing.