Surviving Teenagers
I am a mother to 3 teenage boys (17, 16, 14) and a preteen daughter (12). She will be a teenager in March of next year. I know, I know send up some prayers for me as I am barely hanging on.
Last week my kids had a protest. Against me. Yes read that slowly lol. They were chanting about having equal rights. The younger crew says I am ageist because my older son is allowed to do more and have more company. Well isn’t that how it works? The oldest child definitely has more privileges initially as long as long as they are responsible, respectful, and are on top of their grades. Privileges are what you earn with time and appropriate behavior. This generation is definitely more aware when it comes to discriminatory terms to say the least. However they lack a clear understanding of what it means to “earn privileges.” I took no offense to it at all, I am definitely their parent and not their friend. So I will continue parenting as I see fit.
They say that the terrible twos is the hardest phase to overcome. Well I’d have to say nope the terrible teens phase has that beat by a mile.. As these kids are becoming their own people they really want to assert themselves, most of the time to their own detriment. While I am all for my children having a voice and telling me what’s on their mind, I am still the parent. I don’t need a paragraph about why something isn’t fair. Definitely not a protest nor do I need a sonnet. What I said is what I said. Teenager’s don’t seem to understand this. They want to present their case, like its a democracy…. when I’m sure it’s a dictatorship because I reserve the right to shut it all down It is my primary job to keep them safe from themselves at times. After all these years being my children you would have thought that would have sunk in, nope not at all. They still try me.
The mood swings, chile are beyond me. No it is not a girl thing. It is prevalent in boys as well. The way you respond, look, talk to them can be triggering unintentionally and bam you are wondering who is this child. I have grown thick skin and most of the time I am 10 times more patient than I want to be. Deep breaths and calmly taking time to approach conversations that you didn’t realize were sensitive topics has helped on my parenting journey.
As they start dating….it’s a serious headache. I’m just gonna say it I don’t trust any of these girls. I am giving them all a hard side eye. I’m just speaking to the girls because my baby girl is too young for the boys, thank God. I know time is winding down but I’m going to bask in her innocence while I can. Let me also go on the record to state I don’t trust these boys either. The girls after my boys, I am just OVER. Most of the time I’m like why do you like her. These children lack basic manners. How do you walk into someone’s house and not speak? Where do they do that at? Who raised you? Although this has led to a lot of healthy conversations about relationships it has been a pain. I pray and hope that they are taking heed to everything I am teaching them so that they can be respectful, intuitive partners.
I know I talked about many things because that is what parenting teenagers is like, you are all over the place. Lots of trial and error and understanding the importance to allow yourself to just parent.
Pray for all us parents as we are walking a fine line between saint and snapped. How are you surviving your teenagers?
