hope

I honestly don't know how my mother lived through and survived the teen years with my sister and I. Particularly that I'm not exactly an angel. lol. Far from it. My son is actually a better child and student than I was. I didn't much care about school and alllll that. But he does, most of the time. :)

Oh but I so was not prepared to parent a teenager.  I knew he was getting to that age but it just crept up on me. And dang... it's HARD!!! lol. I feel like running to my mom and say "I'm so sorry I was such a pain in high school!!! I'm so surprised you didn't kill me!!!" lol. I cringe at the memories of my attitude and back-talk and all that. 

In all seriousness though, my struggle with my son isn't a bad attitude or rudeness (mind you that there's a bit of that with the mood swings). It's getting him to switch priorities and see the bigger picture.  Granted, he is  young and well...immature but we feel that if he is able to switch priorities and build good habits now, he will enjoy his teen years much better.

We, of course, recognize that it is hard for him. Especially, that most of his friends if not all, just care about video games, skyping, chilling with friends, girls and just doing whatever feels good. We understand all that and isn't against those things but within the right boundaries. We want him to have time to hang out with friends, to play games and to talk to girls but all that comes after God, family and school. In it's right place, all those things are good but the problem is the priorities of most of the kids these days are all jumbled up and wrong. And for some reason, real hard work is something this generation is allergic to!!! 

I didn't realize that there is this very tricky balance of understanding him and allowing him to self-discover but at the same time helping and guiding him exist! Sanity and guidance for this momma, please!!!

Man, I used to think high school is brutal for the high schooler but it's even more so for the parents!!! But, praise God, we have Jesus and hope because if our parents came through it alive...so are we.