When most teenagers start a summer business, it’s to earn money for their first car, a new iPhone, college or fun trips with friends.

But one teenager recently started his lawnmowing business for a far more personal reason: to raise enough money for his stepfather to be able to adopt him and his big brother.

As Today reports, Tyce Pender is 14 years old and lives in Cayce, South Carolina. Twelve years ago, Tyce’s stepdad, Eric Jenkins, started dating Tyce’s mother, Marcy.

“He’s been a father figure to me since I was 2. He’s always been there for us and helps me with anything I need like homework,” Tyce said.

Eric and Marcy have wanted Eric to adopt Tyce and his brother Tylee for years, and recently found a lawyer who was willing to work pro bono.

But other legal costs ensure the adoption will still cost the family thousands of dollars.

“This is important because Eric teaches me respect, independence and what a man is supposed to be. If anything ever happens to my mom, Eric is who I’d want to live with,” Tyce explained.

Perhaps you’ve heard – because of recent protests in front of Supreme Court justices’ homes over abortion and the upcoming Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision – that there’s a federal law – 18 U.S.C. Section 1507 – that prohibits “pickets or parades” near the residences of federal judges. But did you know that the prohibition came in response to the intimidation of judges by another group, Americans identifying as Communists in the years following the end of World War II?

It may be different groups from different times, but today’s abortion protestors are using the same dangerous tactics of intimidation as yesterday’s communists, and for the same reason: They distrust, and even oppose, the democratic process.

The Internal Security Act of 1950, also called the McCarran Act, was passed by Congress over the veto of President Harry Truman. The law itself, with its requirements for communists to register with the U.S. Department of Justice, and prohibition of employment in the federal government, and its “emergency detention” provision, was mostly struck down (at least eventually) in the courts or repealed by subsequent Acts of Congress. It was in most respects an infringement of free speech.

How discerning are today’s children? Probably not enough, and often due to no fault of their own.

From being indoctrinated with radical school curriculums, seeing “pride” displays in Target, watching woke propaganda in cartoons and advertisements, not to mention seeing offensive bumper stickers, t-shirts and parades in suburban settings, there’s no escaping the highly coordinated assault on the hearts and minds of our young people.

How might parents respond?

We need to teach our kids how to discriminate, that is, recognize there is a distinction and difference between right and wrong, reality and fiction, life and death – and men and women.

In order to do so, today’s moms and dads need to help their sons and daughters walk the high wire, and sometimes without the luxury of a net below. After all, in this highly charged environment, discernment can be confused with racism, hatred and even “homophobia.” When it comes to navigating today’s culture, Jesus’ ancient advice couldn’t be more timely or relevant, when He urged, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).