Tag Archive for: teenagers

Itā€™s cold in Kentucky. Itā€™s cold all over this half of the country, but Kentucky is where I live and so Iā€™m mostly pissed that itā€™s cold in Kentucky. Everything is frozen, even pipes. Ā Also, house breaking a new puppy while the ice coated grass crunches beneath my feet as I wait on this animal to poop in my yardĀ makes me question my sanity.Ā  I sit at my desk in my freezing office and work, wrapped in a thickly knitted turtleneck sweater that my husband describes as ā€œnot my favorite look on you.ā€Ā  Every time a client says, ā€œjust email that to me,ā€ instead of ā€œsee you in my office for that meeting tomorrowā€ I rejoice because it allows me a little more time to remain indoors rather than facing the artic reality of walking through a parking lot in heels.Ā  Oh, and my children adore frost bite apparently by their aversion to wearing a coat.

ā€œYou have no choice. You are wearing a coat to school today. I swear if either of you come home without that coat on your body you will be grounded.ā€ Things I never pictured myself needing to say to a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old on their way out the door on a 6-degree January day.

However, as much as it pains me to admit, winter is a necessary evil in nature. There is a whole lot going on under the soil, biologically. In fact, if a winter is too warm, it will negatively impact the crops and what we see at the produce stands come summer time. The deep freeze kills many insects and pathogens. For instance, there is a beetle that feeds on corn. A winter thatā€™s not cold enough to kill them will almost certainly mean smaller harvests and frustrated farmers in the warmer months that follow. The frigid temperatures also bring a cycle of dormancy. The plants fall into a deep winter nap and reserve their energy, storing it up for new growth in the spring.

Winter is necessary for me too. It holds me indoors and forces me to focus on the people who live in my house. I cook more in the winter, which equates to more time around the table together. The entertainment options are limited to board games (which I detest, but will agree to play as long as itā€™s not Monopoly) and relaxing on the couch with some hot chocolate and a movie on Netflix. When we host company in our house, our friends are all together, corralled into one smallish space. Some fun times happen in those moments. I get in the mood to deep clean, which never happens on a warm June day, I can assure you. I do a giant purge that is cleaning out closets. I donate clothes to the needy. I get caught up on reading that book I got for my birthday in July, but never made time to sit still enough to finish. Winter slows me down. It slows me down physically and it slows me down emotionally. I reflect more. I sleep more. Just like the crops, the cycle of dormancy that winter brings me reserves my energy and prepares me for new growth. Also, like the crops by the end of February Iā€™m bursting at the seams longing for the spring. My stored-up energy can only be satisfied by some warm breezes, a front porch swing and vitamin D. I confess, the last half of February is the worst part of the year. The good thing about the last part of February is that itā€™s the last part. Newness is coming. The sunshine is around the corner.

Winter isnā€™t my favorite, but itā€™s necessary.

However, if the air decided to turn a few ticks warmer, even if just for a day, I would not be mad about it.

Teenagers get a bad rap. Itā€™s for good reason. I know, I have two of them.

They live in a world of polar extremes. Their ever evolving brains make them predictably unpredictable. Iā€™ll watch my teenage son and daughter, sitting shoulder to shoulder on the couch laughing together and this mamaā€™s heart beams with joy. Then Iā€™ll walk over and discover they are bonding over an inappropriate video they found on YouTube.
Raising teenagers means being amazed at their wit and charm, but also means I have to say things like ā€œwhy would you put me on speaker phone if people were all around?ā€ One minute, I pat myself on the back for raising responsible, honest kids then the next minute Iā€™m exhibiting a prowess normally reserved for the FBI as I investigate and gather information by any means necessary to find out if one of them has lied to me.

Raising teenagers is a roller coaster ride all the time. Itā€™s a ride full of excitement, wonderful highs, scary lows, lots of loopy loops and vomit.

Itā€™s not all bad. Actually, being the mom of teenagers is pretty awesome and here areĀ 6 reasonsĀ why:

1. Teens are fun on vacation.

They are finally old enough to do the fun stuff. They enjoy eating at places other than McDonalds. They are tall enough to ride everything. They can go to the public restrooms without holding an adultā€™s hand. I donā€™t have to keep my eye on them every second at the pool. They can take a walk along the beach while I stay back reading a magazine on my chair. The nights don’t end early because they donā€™t have to go to bed early, in fact, they prefer not to. The mornings are peaceful because they donā€™t wake up until 11am. Itā€™s great.

2. We enjoy the same movies.

Finally, my movie choices at the theater arenā€™t limited to Disney and animated flicks. They understand and laugh at the humor in comedies. They get on the edge of their seats during suspense films. I donā€™t have to explain whatā€™s going on to them. Actually, if anyone is explaining a movie plot to anyone itā€™s more likely that my son is explaining it to me, not the other way around. They understand that mommyā€™s purse full of candy and snacks purchased at the gas station on the way there is not something that needs to be announced to the girl at the ticket booth.

3. My teenagers gave me back my sex life.

Iā€™m not sure of a more delicate way of saying this, but when my precious angels were born my sex life went to crap. We had to take what we could get during their nap times. Being spontaneous was something of the past. Then they became little kids. We had to lock doors because those suckers could get out of bed on their own and would try to make surprise visits. Then they became teenagers and it only takes a comment from their father about how good I look in a dress to make them cringe. The sight of a closed bedroom door sends them running for the hills. Oh, and they are gone from the house frequently. Score.

4. Teenagers are passionate.

Emotions run very high for teens. Once they get sold on an idea though, whether it be something as meaningful as serving a meal at the Salvation Army or something less big-ish like what theme the students have for how to dress for the home football game on Friday night, the passion is felt. Get them on board with a big idea and they will run with it. Encourage what interests them and they will make an impact on people around them. Their passion is contagious and will either excite you or drive you to drinking, but either way being around a teenager who is passionate about something will make you feel awake to the world around us.

5. Teenagers keep me young.

Iā€™m living in the phase of life where I know current rap lyrics. I get a live-in fashion consultant via my daughter, who is now very invested in making sure I look presentable in public. I hear stories of whatā€™s going on in high school and all the drama around it. Iā€™ve picked up some of their lingo. My son teaches me all the short cuts and special features on my iPhone. They are nuts and hilarious. They keep me on my toes. I feel young (and tired) when Iā€™m with them.

6. Teenagers have strong opinions and can have intelligent conversation.

They havenā€™t yet been on the earth long enough to have a bunch of life baggage that jades them into cynics. This generation is more open minded to the diversity all around them. They have valid opinions on important subjects. They bring fresh, new perspectives that can both surprise and impress. They are able to present new ideas and opinions that we havenā€™t yet considered. They are smart to the ways of this world and totally naĆÆve all in one day. They are a bright bunch.

There are so often times when being a mom is not fun. Times when I feel like a huge failure and wonder if I got it all wrong. Chances are that I likely did do something to mess them up. I mean, on the scale of perfection I rank pretty low and Iā€™m the one, along with their dad, with the most influence over them. God help ā€˜em. There will be things to blame me for Iā€™m certain, but as long as they grow up to be kind, not incarcerated and gainfully employed then Iā€™ll mark it a success.

Raising teenagers, just like with the roller coaster, includes times of nervous anxiety, times of unimaginable exhilaration, times were everything seems all downhill and times we vomit. Once youā€™re on thereā€™s no getting off.

May as well hold up your hands, scream and enjoy it while it lasts.

Last night, as I was preparing dinner, my 15-year-old daughter walked up to me and asked, ā€œMom, what is wrong with you? Donā€™t say ā€œnothingā€, just tell me whatā€™s wrong.ā€

I had to stop and take a deep breath, feeling bad that I was so irritable that my daughter was doing an emotional check-in on me. I told her she was right, I was feeling angry.

ā€œI havenā€™t been sleeping well this week. I just canā€™t shut my mind off, like always, but this week has been especially bad. The air conditioner wonā€™t be fixed until the part on back-order gets here.Ā  It’sĀ  81 degreesĀ in here and I’mĀ over it.Ā Ā (Cooking dinner in a hot house, while fatigued is not a good equation for happiness. I wouldnā€™t advise anyone try it.) Ā I also have agreed to more meetings than is reasonable over the next few days and I am already dreading most of them.ā€

She tilted her head as though she felt bad for me and said, ā€œI knew something was up with you when I told you that my shirt made me hot today at school and you told me to just shut up.ā€

Nothing quite makes me feel more like a loser mom than when my kid articulates a very valid point to highlight why her mother is acting a fool.

ā€œIā€™m so sorry. I shouldnā€™t have said that to you. I am really sorryā€ I said to her, to which she replied, ā€œItā€™s ok,ā€ then returned to the couch with a bag of chips and her phone, seemingly satisfied with how the conversation ended.

I stood in the kitchen alone, fanning myself with the utility bill while finishing our meal.Ā  I wasĀ feeling bad about feeling bad.

Dr. Henry Cloud, a psychologist who writes some of my favorite self-help books, once said, ā€œKeep this question in your pocket and pull it out often: ā€œWhy am I doing this?ā€

Why did I leave my paycheck producing career 2 years ago to become a volunteer moderator/teacher/nurse/slave/cook/maid to the hormonal little monsters who I created and grew inside me approximately 14 and 15 years ago? This change was one that my husbandĀ dreamed ofĀ for years before I finally had the nerve to pull the trigger on it. It was discussed endlessly for months and prayed about so many times before I finally had peace enough to make the leap. It was a well thought through decision, yet now, Iā€™m sweaty, in a hot house, mad at the world today forgetting why.

I am a person of faith and for that reason my ongoing quest to find meaning is centered around my beliefs that God has created me uniquely and with a specific purpose. I’ve read books about this. Iā€™ve also taken spiritual gift assessments, which revealed that Iā€™m gifted in hospitality and the opposite of gifted in administration. So basically I excel in partying and suck with anything that requires the filling out or filing of any piece of paper. Still, at times my purpose in life gets out of focus and a little foggy.

There may be days whenĀ I’m notĀ clear on what my purpose is, but I know when Iā€™m not living it by the discomfort that it brings.

ā€œWhenever you say yes to something, there is less of you for something else. Make sure your yes is worth the less.ā€ Lysa TerKeurst

My purpose during this current season of life is to encourage, model, instruct and provide a full life for my kids so that when they graduate from high school in only 4 short years and move out for college (did I really just say those words?) they will be ready. I want to be the safe place for them to ask hard questions and get honest answers. I want to beĀ available to them as they have to navigate the very confusing teenage waters.Ā  My purpose is toĀ do my best to make sure they have strong faith and character when itā€™s time for them to spread their wings. THAT is my purpose.Ā  That’s my why.Ā  Everything else is just noise.

As Iā€™m hot gluing cotton balls on a t-shirt for a sheep costume that Iā€™m making my daughter for her cotillion initiation, Iā€™m living my purpose. Iā€™m showing her sheā€™s important and I care about the little things she cares about.

When I sit in my car for what seems like forever on a Saturday morning waiting for my son to finish hisĀ guitar lesson, Iā€™m living my purpose. Itā€™s important to him. Itā€™s important to me.

When I run them all over town to be at various youth functions, itā€™s again my purpose. Growing them into adults I can be proud of.

When I canā€™t sleep from the disappointments and frustrationsĀ of life, when I worry about things out of my control and when I commit to volunteer roles, even worthy ones, that rob too much precious time from my family then Iā€™ve lost focus and am doing something wrong. When saying yes to everything thus effectively saying no to doing most of it with a joyful heart causes discomfort to my purpose thenĀ  Iā€™ve allowed what is expected of me to trump what God wants for me.

When I tell my girl to shut up over a shirt sheā€™s wearing I am not living my purpose. Something is out of order.

And itā€™s uncomfortable.

So I logged into my email and declined a couple meeting invites. I set up a few lunches with my friends. The ones who recharge my soul while we refill our cups. A blandness in life becomes more pronounced when I go too long without having the balance they bring. I even said no to a couple people who I had originally planned to say yes to, butĀ myĀ yes was going to beĀ out of pure obligation.

I prayed that the air conditioner part will get here quick before I lose my sh@t with this August heat inside my house.

And I made some brownies for my daughter as a gesture of peace for the jerk I was yesterday.

No grit, no pearl!