Firstly, if the title of this post caught your attention; welcome, enjoy some well earned time to relax and take comfort from the fact that someone else is going through the rollercoaster ride of your delightful cherub turning into a hormonal monster. Maybe you have the joy of more than one at home? If so, you are in my thoughts and together we will get through this difficult time...
I now have 3 in this delightful age category, another with only a couple of years to go. IT IS HARD. Part of the reason I'm writing this is to try help me gain some perspective, put some humour into the horror.
The following sums up my views of the teen years so far (none have hit 16 yrs old yet and I fully expect the challenges to grow)
1. Don't sweat the small stuff. If I reacted to everything that annoys me in the teenage years, I'd be super stressed out. Take a deep breath and move on.
2. They think they know everything, and parents know nothing. Sometimes it's hard to remember that most teens have this attitude, even us parents at that age. One day they'll value our hard work, advice and nagging.
3. It can be hard to allow your child the freedom and independence they now want, when you were used to being there for them constantly. Trust is also something they have to earn and they will make mistakes. Accepting that, and encouraging them to own up and learn from mistakes will help.
4. Remember that even thought they may seem like they don't need/want you around as much, underneath they still very much do. It can be frustrating that they suddenly want a big heart to heart when you've finally etched out some "me time" at 10pm, but try to enjoy those times when they come to you.
5. Technology is both a blessing and a curse. I find myself constantly asking them not to spend so much time on screens. Important to remember though that each generation is different and faces different types of peer pressure. Reaching some kind of compromise is really important.
I'm sure I'll have more suggestions to add, feel free to comment with any tips you can share.
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