Nobody Said This Was Easy

I've been a parent now for 17 years. I have been a coach for 25 years. I have been a teacher for 16 years. These three facts have provided me ample opportunities to work with and observe children and parent teams in the teen years. I'm here to tell you the late teen years make the terrible twos look easy! This, from a lady who teaches teens with learning and behavior issues all day probably won't instill great faith for parents of younger children. Folks, parenting a teen isn't easy!

I have birthed some pretty cool kids. They bathe daily, go to school, don't do drugs or drink, haven't been arrested so, why do I feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle to be a good mom? First, my oldest hates school and doesn't achieve anywhere near his potential. Rewards, punishments, threats, and flat out knock down drag out fights have not pushed his academic performance towards a more positive direction. Our agreed upon truce is he'll pass his classes and if he does happen to fail one it will be in the range that he can recover the credit for free. Second, said oldest child will not take it easy at wrestling practice. We went to the doctor's yesterday and that's what she told him. Hey, I'm happy he's found something he loves and will work hard at but really wish it wasn't so physically demanding. Third, all three of my teens alternate between wanting me to go away and being all knowing mom who can anticipate and n provide for all needs. Hey, these teen things don't come with warning lables of when its okay for a hug, or comment, or opinion or just being present. This constant on again, off again mom is cool, mom is the worst mom ever thing is crazy!

So why isn't parenting teens easy? That whole free will thing seems to be interfering with what I think is best for my dear, sweet baby. It was easier when they just cooed and smiled at everything you did. I have succeeded in raising exactly what I set out to raise: strong, independent, self sufficient, strongly opinionated people. Be careful what you wish for because parenting it can be hard work!