How many times have you tried to organize things to just have them get disorganized as soon as you have finished? I even labeled where the dishes go and we still can’t put them away correctly. Sigh..🥴

I swear, I’m picking up, hanging up, folding up and packing up stuff all the time. Normally picking stuff up is just a habit while walking past something. However, lately it seems to be from others (teenagers) completely not aware.

Is it laziness or actually Unawareness? OK we all have been teenagers. I often think about what it was like to be a teen and it wasn’t very easy. I don’t remember many things though. I journaled through most of my teen years and re-reading has helped me tremendously. The traits of a teen as I remember.

Rebellious stage, moody, emotional and sensitive. They are testing the waters, finding their self reliance and independence from their parents.

Adventurous, risk takers, that have tons of energy, want to stay up late. This is when they strive for excitement and because their frontal lobe isn’t quite developed, teens choices aren’t always the best.

Maturing socially, sexually, and physically. Many growth spurts and socially teens would rather spend time with their friends then do school work.

Intellectually teens grow more mature and have the ability to make life choices. They are able to hypothesize, as well as, handle multiple responsibilities. They also start handling and thinking about long term consequences.

It’s actually kind of exciting. Watching my teens grow up I mean. I had totally forgotten what that part was like. I get caught up in the parenting part and the environmental judgement I think the people around me may have about my parenting and then it becomes difficult for me to hold my beliefs.

Loneliness. I do remember being lonely, feeling lonely when I was a teenager. Until 9 years ago even, I don’t think I paid much attention to the feeling of lloneliness, so I went through a lot of growing pains. I was and can still be very naive and gullible. I wanted to fit in and hated being criticized. I felt inadequate and a failure.

However, I didn’t really fail at anything. I am not inadequate. I have tried many things, still do, and even though I didn’t always learn it, or dont always get it, I tried and keep trying. I was and am consistent. The point really being emphasized…TRYING!

The giving up…well I did a bunch of that too.

Always talk to your teens. Be open and honest. And seriously people, get your head out of your ***. Even the really well behaved, completely disciplined teens have explored beyond their parents wishes so I like to keep talking, and trust that by doing so they will make good choices when faced with those delicate moments. At least remember in that moment, I had mentioned a story that compares with whatever they are faced with and have another opinion to fall back on.

One caution, which I’m totally guilty of, while telling stories, and giving examples, do it without manipulation. We think we aren’t, but we are sometimes. We want the best for our kids so we tend to try and manipulate our ideas onto teens unconsciously. Teens will pick up on out anxiety, or moods in general and just when we are thinking we are helping, we are shooting ourselves in the foot.

In the meantime, enjoy your teen. Before long they will be adults. Stay real, be good. Stay reading, and stay talkin’!

Cheers!