SOS: Raising Teens

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I’m waving my white flag on raising teens….

I really need advice on how to raise a teen. I’ve only had one parenting book in my life and it was about raising toddlers. I’m scrambling to find one on teens and I’m coming up empty-handed.  I thought the middle school years were hard. HA! How naive was I?! My own parents were extremely strict with me. At the time and for many, many years afterward, I thought they were too strict. One time my dad didn’t like my taste in music (ICP anyone?  So awful!) and he threw them all away, every single CD I had. It was inappropriate for our Christian household. However, I got around by lying and doing things I shouldn’t have been doing, and luckily, by the grace of God, I made it. When I think back to those days and what could have gone wrong, I cringe. 

Fast forward to today and I have an almost 16-year-old. I’ll tell ya folks, I’m exhausted. I feel like I have aged 20 years. I was at Wal-Mart earlier and this sweet older lady started talking to my four-year-old. She mentioned how her kids were older now and I mentioned how I’m in the middle of the teen years, and I’m looking forward to them being older. She gave me a sympathetic look and I honestly almost broke down crying. I so badly wanted to ask her so many questions on what I should be doing. All of my friends have younger kids and they aren’t much help.  It’s hard to pass out parenting advice when you haven’t been through it yet.  

So, if you’re a mom of a teen and/or young adult, please help me out with some advice.  Boys (and girls), how did you handle dating?  If your kids are raised, what worked for you?  I’m dealing with my daughter who lied to us about dating a boy.  We’ve never said she couldn’t have a boyfriend; she just didn’t like our rules at the house.  I found conversations in her Snapchat that made me cringe, however; I guess it opened up some honest conversation.  Conversations that we’ve already had before,  they just had to be revisited.  Unfortunately, my trust in her decisions is gone at the moment.  I’ll have to check in with every single parent of where she is staying and have clear contact with them.  

So veteran Moms, GIVE ME ALL THE ADVICE!  Even if you feel like you failed, tell me. I need to hear all sides.  If you’re a mom of younger ones, take notes.  I thought I had this teen thing in the can, easy peasy, but it can be a wild, uncomfortable ride!  

 

 

 

 

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