Our teenagers go through a very special phase in life. They need to gradually establish themselves in this world, and want to be accepted as individual and almost grown-up personalities, with their own desires, talents, inclinations, hopes and plans for their future.
They don't like to be corrected and instructed by their parents any longer - they have heard this for so many years! Now they need other role models, heroes and mentors, who guide and inspire them. It does not mean that they are ungrateful to their parents - no, they are forever grateful for all the care and love their parents have given to them, but now they want to be treated and respected as adults, and want to see their parents as friends to whom they may turn whenever they feel like.

Upon our return from Ekachakra to Mayapur at the end of December we prepared for the upcoming courses which I was scheduled to conduct. I had five weeks of teaching ahead of me - Monday to Friday, from 3pm to 6pm. Each week was dedicated to one topic, and each topic was building onto the previous week's seminar. We started with "Giving and Accepting Shelter - The Foundation to Vaisnava Relationships and Devotee Care", which sets the foundation to all further courses. The second week discussed "The Vanaprastha Ashram - Meeting Death With Joy", followed by "Men and Women in Spiritual Culture", and "Marriage in Spiritual Culture". In the fifth week I introduced a new course entitled "Children in Spiritual Culture", which attracted the biggest audience, since I had not offered it before.
All courses were well attended by nice and serious devotees from all around the world - some being part of the Mayapur community, and some simply visiting Mayapur for a shorter period of time. Several disciples of Srila Prabhupada also participated. When senior devotees are present and contribute with comments and questions, it uplifts the entire atmosphere.