Don’t believe all that you’ve heard about the teen years…
I’ve heard it all! “Just wait til they are teens. I can’t wait to see what they will be like! Don’t expect to remain their friend. Know it’ll get worse before it gets better.”
Yet, the best advise I have ever been given was, “don’t ever believe that you can’t enjoy your children when they are teenagers. Everything you’ve heard about the teen years is probably a lie.”
I remember the night as clear as day. Hope rushed through my veins and I knew that I had been believing and agreeing with so many lies about what life would be like once my children reached their teenage years. We as a society, unknowingly just speak these blanket curses out with no regard of the hopelessness it speaks over our relationships with our children. It makes us feel like we are holding ticking time bombs and the moment they turn 13, BOOM! It’s over!
I am officially a mother of two teenagers and daily I am in disbelief at how much I love life with them. It’s not like we don’t have our moments, but the good far outweighs the bad! I am so thankful for my two teens. We talk deep, we laugh hard, they think I’m a boomer and I wonder where their brains are sometimes but I wouldn’t trade this season for anything!
I sat up late with my 15 year old the other night and we had the hardest, most amazing conversation and I came downstairs just weeping. I couldn’t believe how a potentially divisive conversation actually brought us closer!
So, I’m not sure who needed to hear this today, to know that there is hope and joy in raising teens. Not that I have learned it all, but I do want to make myself available to anyone struggling with their teens. I’ve seen hard conversations, lots and lots of prayer and perseverance change everything in my relationship with my teens and would love to help anyone along the journey that I can!
Be encouraged, the best is yet to come, and don’t believe everything you’ve heard!
