Today, I become the mother of a teenager. Just to type it seems so unreal. My {much} older friends are the moms to teens, certainly not me! I’m not sure how this all happened so quickly.
Just like becoming a mom for the first time, entering this stage with a child is marked with fear and anxiety. I know that any mistake I make can be crucial. And I pray that my kids and I can both enter this road with a lot of grace and mercy!
I’ve made a mental list of the 5 things that I want to remember daily as I begin this journey of parenting a teen ::
1} I’ll have this child as a teen for the next seven years. Many before me have said that this time will be brutal. So I want to remind myself during those brutal times of just how quickly the first seven years of life went by. It was truly in a snap, a literal blink of an eye. The teen years are sure to go by quickly too.
2} I hope that I can remember all the stupid things that I did as a teen. I’m so glad that social media wasn’t around to document my shenanigans. I pray that my kids are smart enough not to record theirs via Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook, but if they do – Lord, help me not to lose my mind.
3} Kids have so much pressure academically and with extra-curricular activities. In our area, we see kids that are struggling with expectations to the point that they can’t even enjoy something that should be an outlet. Help me, as a parent, to discern where there is a need for balance, a need for encouragement, a need for a good old-fashioned push, and a need to tell them to walk away.
4} I hope that my kids always know that they can tell me the truth. I sincerely pray that I can hear the words that are said and give sound advice that is free from my own judgement. I want the words that come from my mouth to be clear, full of love, and promote a dialogue instead of a one-sided-statement that I think all parents are often so good at giving.
5} I crave the times that we can have fun and enjoy life’s adventures that are now possible because of their ages. I long to soak up every moment, each smile, all the laughs. These are the rewards of a life well lived for parent and child!
Personally, I think that teens in general get a bad rap these days. Especially since my kids and their friends are doing some pretty amazing things in our community! I know each moment won’t be full of rose petals, but I know that we’ll have more good days than bad. When times get hard, I know that I can lean on my faith, my family, and my friends. Most of all, I can trust without a shadow of a doubt that my heart and my intentions in raising my kids has been good. And with that, I know that everything will work out for the best … even if it takes longer than I would like!